Under the Surface
by Reana
Summary: Nita’s back with Ronan and had to deal with Kit’s reaction. Her new friend Angie has a secret. A secret with more implications than anyone realizes... COMPLETED
1. Invitation to Ireland

This is my first fan fic, so be kind. Also, beware, Dilemma and Aboard spoilers, to a certin extent. I wanted Ronan to come back up and cover the tension that it would cause between Kit and Nita (who I also would like to see together. *Sigh*) Anyway, R&R, I'll get the next chapter up very quickly, but it'd be faster if I get a review, even one! So, do it! Thanks. This is "G" now, but after the next chaper, I think I'll move it up a level or two. ~Reana  
  
UPDATE: Thanks for the reviews. I've fixed some grammatical errors and such, and changed the rating to "PG" becasue of the alleged "swear word" that I started out with. Happy, Kerry? You should be. :P  
  
  
  
  
Crap, thought Nita, as she reached in her bag for her geometry book. Her hand had brushed her manual, and she felt the buzz that notified her of a message. Kit was the only one that ever messaged her, and she had seen him only a couple hours prior. What was wrong?   
  
She sighed, and pulled her manual out, and flipped to the message page. It wasn't from Kit. It was from her aunt Annie.  
  
"Hey, Nita. Why don't you come see me tonight?"  
  
That sounded like something a normal 14 year old would do. Go visit her dad's sister. But Nita wasn't a normal 14 year-old. She was a wizard and the fact that her aunt lived in Ireland posed no problem. Well, there was the whole overlay thing, but if Annie knew when Nita was coming, she could cover for her.   
  
"Reply?" the manual asked, the words forming on the page.   
  
Since it wouldn't do to have her classmates hear her talking to a book, she pulled out a pen and wrote,   
  
"Sure, Annie, just let me know where and when, and please cover for me so i don't end up in deep space. Thanks, Nita."  
  
"Send?" came the word on the manual.  
  
"Yes." she penned.  
  
"Okay class, open your books to page 135."   
  
With that, Nita closed her manual and pulled out her geometry book.  
  
  
"So what are you up to this afternoon?" asked Kit, as they were walking after school.  
  
"Well, I'm going to visit Annie tonight. Speaking of which...." Nita reached in her bag for her manual. Sure enough, it buzzed. She pulled it out and read the reply,   
  
"How about 4:30 your time? You can eat dinner here. Come to the living room. Don't worry, sweetie, I'll cover for you. See you then, dear!"  
  
"Oh, just visiting Annie?" asked Kit.  
  
"Yeah. I haven't seen her since this summer, and haven't talked to her since this whole thing with my mom....." Nita broke off, her throat constricting.  
  
  
"Are you okay?" Kit prompted, concerned.  
  
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, she's okay for now, but..."  
  
"Well, if you have plans for tonight, I have a proposition for tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Come on a walk with me and Ponch."  
  
"What? Oh." Nita recalled what Kit had told her about Ponch.   
  
"He's been dying to go squirrel chasing again. It's hilarious to watch."  
  
"Sure. Right after school?"   
  
"Yeah. "  
  
"How's S'reee doing?" Nita and kit had helped the whale with a pollution problem. They had had a fight right before the first spelling, and Nita had ended up walking away. At the "check up" meeting, Nita hadn't been able to come because of her mother's health.   
  
"She wants us to come back on Saturday."   
  
"Okay. Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow." They had reached Nita's road.  
  
"Yeah. Tomorrow."  
  
They exchanged good-byes and Nita hurried home to change and talk to her mom for a few minutes before she left to go see her aunt.  
  
"I'm home!" called Nita.  
  
"Shhh...." scolded Dairine, walking down the stairs, her computerized manual following her, "Mom's sleeping."  
  
"Where are you going?"   
  
"Out. On business."  
  
"Ah. Did you leave a note?"  
  
"I talked to Dad. I'll be back for dinner. Oh, and he said he'd be home early."  
  
"Okay. Good Luck." Since Dairine had lost her original "umph" of power, she had been distraught over her wizardry. Nita was glad to see her back in the swing of things, so to speak. Nita headed to her room to change into jeans. It was a lot cooler over in Ireland.  
  
"Dairine? Nita? Are either of you home yet?" came her mom's voice.  
  
"I am. Just a sec!" Nita pulled on the jeans and headed to her mother's room.  
  
"Are you feeling okay?" Nita asked, concerened.  
  
"Yes. Great. The day of the surgery worked wonders."   
  
The day of the surgery. Not only surgery had gone on. Nita had tried to save her mother with wizardry. Things had gone wrong, and it had come to Nita trading her wizardry to the Lone Power for her mother's life. Kit and her mother had intervened, and ended up keeping Nita from making that dreadful mistake. Her mother's life had not been saved, but they had bought her a little more time.  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
"So where's Dairine?"  
  
"She had something to do. She promised to be back for dinner. I may not be, though."  
  
"Why? What to you have to do?"  
  
"Nothing. I'm going to go visit Aunt Annie."  
  
"Annie?"  
  
"Yeah. She left me a message inviting me over at 4:30 and said I could eat there."  
  
"Well, you better get a move on! It's 4:25 now!"   
  
"It is?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'd better go! Bye, Mom! I love you. I'll be gone a couple hours, at most. Tug if you need anything." Kit and Nita had set up, along with Dairine, a wizardly chain between Nita's Mom and her Dad, so that if her mother had a problem, she could easily reach her husband by mentally "tugging" at the chain.  
  
Nita left her mother's room, grabbed a jacket, and activated the spell that Kit usually referred to as the "Beam me up Scotty" spell. Seconds later, she was standing in her Aunt Annie's living room.  
  
"Nita!" She turned and saw her aunt. She didn't even have a chance to say hello before she was swept in big hug.   
  
"I've missed you so! How are you?"  
  
"Fine." Nita started, before changing her mind, "No. I'm not fine. But I am getting better."  
  
"I'm glad. I can only imagine what you're going through. I read the report."  
  
"It didn't work. Not completely, anyway."  
  
"But it bought her some time. And some is better than none."  
  
"Yeah, but...." Nita broke off, swallowing hard.  
  
Sensing a need for a change of subject, Annie said, "Well, how about dinner?"  
  
After eating a light meal together, Nita helped her aunt do the dishes. "I miss having you here," Annie said, "Especially having you wash the dishes." They both laughed.  
  
"You're welcome to come visit anytime. Just leave me a message in your manual, so I can cover for you. The overlays are getting weaker, not much, but slowly getting weaker, since the Renactment."   
  
"That's good. How's Ronan doing?"  
  
"He's been doing good. He's opening up a lot more, and has spent a lot of time talking to Shaun. Speaking of him, if you want to visit, I wouldn't be opposed. Just check in here before you go back home."  
  
"I might take you up on that later. I think I'll go and talk to him before I leave. I'll stay here for a bit more, though."  
  
"Would you like some tea?"   
  
Remembering her tea-packed weeks here, Nita groaned before replying, "Sure."  
  
Nita and her aunt sat at the kitchen table for the next hour or two, talking over cups of tea. Finally Annie said, "If you're going to go see Ronan, you might want to go ahead. It's 11:15 here, and you don't want to go over there too late."  
  
"What's the easiest way to get there from here?"  
  
"Let's look."  
  
Annie pulled up a wizard's map. "Look," she said, "here, about five minutes walk from Ronan's, is free of overlays. Go there, then it's east to his house. His mother is working the night shift these days, so you won't have to worry about disturbing her."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"And you're leaving late enough that you don't have to come back here before you go home. I'm going to go to bed. I have to get up early tomorrow."  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you up so late."  
  
"No, you didn't, dear. If I wanted you to leave, I would have told you to leave. I'm glad you came. Come back again soon."  
  
"I'm glad you asked me over. I needed the night away and I glad I talked to you. I need that to. Thank you."  
  
"Anytime, dear. I'll see you soon." They hugged, then air rushed in to the place where Nita had stood.  
  
She walked the five minutes to Ronan's house, her mind swimming. She missed him tremendously, but she wasn't sure how he was going to react when she showed up, uninvited, on his doorstep, at 11:30 PM at that. She wasn't even sure how SHE would react at seeing him again. She guessed she would find out. Nita drew in a deep breath, and knocked on his door. 


	2. Snogging in Space

Blackmail, Radella? Bad girl...Never blackmail someone like me...it'll blow up in your face. I better get to worrk? EXCUSE ME?? I have the first three chapers finsihed and I started this yesterday. (Okay, so it's been a very loooong, boring Labor Day weekend.) You're on your third (Or perhaps fourth. You're chaper three confused me.) chapter, and you started on JULY 10TH???? Now, I ask again, I NEED TO GET OT WORK? Hmmm..... I'll take "Hypocrisy for 500", please! :D  
  
I wasn't planning on posting this so fast...I was going to do a chapter a week or so, until I got stuck, or (very very hopefully) make the Speech and Acting team (which will take up EVERY Saturday until the end of time) and am reduced to writing in 15 minute-incriments when I can. But since Radella said that she'd update when I did, RADELLA! Get cracking! You have five minutes to post a new chapter! Okay, okay, I'll give you a break. This time. One week to post your next chaper. I challenge you. Also, I'd love for you to be my beta-reader {Not like I have one now because until I found you wonderful people (remember this! Only time in your entire life anyone will call you wonderful!! LoL, j/k.), no one else I knew had ever heard of these books (And that fact sucked beyond comprehension)}, but since your e-mail is "private" I can't send you an e-mail about it, so if that offer is still open, e-mail me at drjdn@hotmail.com (NO, I DID NOT fall asleep at my keyboard when I got that address. it has a reason behind. To bad I'm the only on that knows. ;]).   
  
Okay, on to Robert and Demon Pickle (no offense, but, what kind of name is that? You have me scared of cucumbers for life now.), thank you, and you're wish is granted!  
  
Now, for Kerry. There's a difference in "constructive critism" and "Spell and Grammer Checker on Crack." It's not THAT fine of a line, and you've done crossed it. :P Okay, okay, actually thank you very much for the critique. It means a lot that you care enough to pick it apart like that. :-) And, since when is "Crap" a swear word? I guess it IS border line, but it doesn't matter. This installment has upped the rating to "PG-13". I fixed the grammer mistakes in chaper one; go on and have a look, if you like. Your tips helped. Keep up the CONSTRUCTIVE critism, get off crack, and read on!   
  
Okay, okay, I've probaly driving you crazy with my ramblings, and you just want to get on and read what happened nine months after we last left Nita and Ronan. (Yes, I'm joking.) (Maybe. ;D) One more thing VERY IMPORTANT thing: Like Kerry pointed out, the dialouge was missing emotion, and therefore, was dry. I tried to improve that this chaper. I have trouble writing in emotion when I write third person and am working on it. So if you notice parts lacking emotion or emphasis, PLEASE point them out to me. I'm trying very hard on this promblem with my writing, which is one reason writing this fan fic is such a good thing. (That and the fact that I can make things happen that I've alwasy wanted to, but never did in the books. YEA!) Thanks!   
  
R&R, positive and negitive, please!  
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Chapter 2   
*********************************************  
For a few minutes, no one came. Nita knocked again.  
  
"For Goodness sakes, chill!" Ronan's voice came from inside, "Have some patience. If you're going to come banging on my door this later, than you can at least wait un-" He broke off in shock as he opened the door. Recognition registered on his face. "Nita?" he asked, "Nita!" He embraced her fiercely.  
  
Nita almost melted at the sight of him, and then at his touch. She managed a wry smile and said, "Your favorite Yank in the flesh!"  
  
"Oh, Nita, I've missed you. The Powers only know how much. What are you doing here? Are you okay?"  
  
"I was in the area and I decided to drop by."  
  
"In the area? You live on the other side of the world."  
  
"I was visiting Annie."  
  
"Oh. Are you okay, then?"  
  
"First of all, can we go somewhere else? I never did uphold my promise to take you to the moon."   
  
"But what about the overlays?"  
  
"About five minutes from here, there's a spot without. That how I got here."  
  
"In that case, lead the way." He offered her his hand. She took it, electricity racing up her arm as she did so. They walked hand in hand down the road. When the reached the spot, Nita told Ronan the coordinates for their spell, and moments later, they were sitting on a rock outcropping, facing Earth.  
  
"It's, it's... it's beautiful." Ronan said, astonished.  
  
"That doesn't even begin to describe it." Nita agreed.  
  
"So now, tell me what's wrong?" Ronan probed softly.  
  
Nita's throat tightened. Tears began to form in her eyes, while she tried her best to fight them. "It's okay. You can tell me." He said, taking her gently in his arms.  
  
He has changed, thought Nita. His edge isn't quite as sharp, and he's more sensitive. "I don't know where to start." she said, tears trickling down her cheek.  
  
He brushed them away with his fingertips. "You don't have to tell me. Only if you want to, just when ever you're ready." her encouraged her. Slowly, the events of the last couple of weeks poured out of her mouth. She told him about her mom's illness, her fight with Kit, the temptation of the Lone Power, and all the rest. When she finished, she was crying uncontrollably. All the stresses, tensions, problems, and frustrations that Nita had been holding inside flowed out through those tears. Ronan rocked, consoled, and stroked her hair. Nita finally sighed, wiped her face, and looked up.   
  
"Barrel of fun I've been tonight," she said, "Appearing out of no where this late, interrupting your night, dragging you out of your house and up here, then crying my soul out to you for the past forty-five minutes. I'm sorry."  
  
"No, no, don't be, Nita." Ronan said. "The only thing you interrupted was one hell of a boring night. You came and dragged me to the second most beautiful sight I've ever seen."  
  
"Second? Second to what?"  
  
"You."  
  
Nita blushed deeply, hoping Ronan didn't notice.   
  
He continued, "I got my wizardry three years ago, when I was twelve. My dad had left the year before, just up and left my mom one day. My mom was working a lot, and seeing other guys in her spare time. In a since, I lost both parents, and suddenly discovered not only were the old legends true, but I as a wizard, was a part of them. I withdrew into myself, and built up a hard shell. Then you came a broke into it. As quickly as you came you left. And now you're back, so don't be sorry for that."  
  
It took all of Nita's self control to keep from crying again. Ronan must have noticed her composure slip, because he pulled her closer him. He turned her face towards him and kissed her softly. She responded more intensely than she meant to, and he leaned in, lengthening the kiss.  
  
The thorough, invasive mindtouch that had taken over them that night over the summer came again. Nita could feel not only her own thoughts and feelings, but his as well. The refreshing greenness that she remembered from before was there, in all its splendor. The scarlet that had caused her to recoil last time was also there, but wasn't fleeting, hidden or repressed. It shone in specks across the green instead. The fervor of the kiss built, and Nita probed deeper into Ronan's mind. She sensed a lot of pain and sadness, but occasional bursts of joy and happiness. She sensed his nervousness, his terror that she would reject him. She sensed how much he had missed her, and she felt for him; she had missed him just as much, though the pain of that had been moved aside in recent circumstances. She continued, thrusting through his memories and emotions. Suddenly, she realized he was probably doing the same to her her. She sought him out, and saw that he was indeed. She followed him as he cautiously nudged through her emotions.   
  
What had started as a soft peck turned into a deep kiss that lasted quite a while. When they eventually separated, Nita surprised herself by asking, "What color is my life-force?"  
  
"What?" asked Ronan, surprised by the nature of the question.  
  
"Well, yours is green. A deeply refreshing green. Before there was a dark scarlet spot, that was Luke's life-force. But now, there are scarlet specks in the green, that weren't there...that weren't there last time. What color is my life-force?"  
  
"Oh." Ronan paused for a moment before answering, "Purple. A deep royal color."  
  
"Purple? Hmm..."  
  
"You know what the color purple stands for, don't you?" he asked. Nita shook her head. "It's the color of nobility, of beauty. And I agree."   
  
Nita leaned her head on his shoulder, relaxing into him. She was slightly embarrassed about the fact that their kiss had turned from gentle to such a passionate one. They sat in silence for awhile, staring out into space, looking at earth from so far away. Their glazes met, and another kiss threatened, when Ronan suddenly jerked up, and exclaimed, "Oh, sweet Powers that be! It's almost 1:30! I have to get up in four and a half hours!"  
  
"1:30? That's, like 8:30. Crap! What I am going to tell my mom? I said I'd only be gone a couple of hours!"  
  
"Tell her you lost track of time."  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"Snogging in space." He said, looking at her slyly.  
  
Nita burst out laughing at the abnormality of it all. "Yeah, I'm just going to waltz in my house and say, 'Hey, Mom, sorry I'm late, but after I went to Annie's I met up with my crush from over the summer, who happens to also be a wizard, as well as a decedent of an Irish deity, and we went to the moon and made out.' Real plausible, not to mention almost a guarantee of another 'the talk', and never getting to see you without a chaperon until I'm 30."  
  
Ronan raised one of his eyebrows at what she said, then added, "I bet you're the only kid that ever gave that excuse for missing curfew."  
  
"Yeah, they all had boring run-of-the-mill wizards. I had you. And do you know how much my mom would freak if she knew that I stayed out until ONE THIRTY, with a guy she's never met, at that? She panicked when I was on erranty and was out with Kit until ten. And we weren't doing anything more than saving the entire East Coast."  
  
Ronan laughed softly. "Will I see you again?" he asked, worriedly.  
  
"Of course." she almost shouted it.  
  
"Soon, though? I don't want to wait another month and a half."  
  
"I'm sorry. It was just with everything...."  
  
"No. It's okay," Ronan interrupted fondly, "Just say that you'll come back soon."  
  
"Promise."  
  
"Tomorrow?"   
  
"No, I can't tomorrow." said Nita, remembering her promise to Kit. "Or Saturday. I can either Friday or Sunday, though. Leave me a message in my manual."   
  
"I can't believe you get books. Hmph. Well, we really need to get back. I'm going to have to take a shower tonight, too."  
  
"Yeah, moon dust itches if you get in to much of it." Nita laughed at him.  
  
They activated the spell, and momentarily appeared from where they had left. "I'll walk back myself. You get home." Ronan said. Nita smiled at him. They kissed; this time only a brief good-bye kiss, though. "Good-bye, Nita." Ronan said softly.  
  
"Bye." she returned. He waited until she disappeared, then walked away in the night.  
  
Nita hadn't been in her room for more than ten seconds when Dairine came in. "And where have you been?" she asked accusingly.  
  
"Ireland. I told you I was visiting Annie."  
  
"But where'd you go afterwards?"  
  
"What implies I went someone afterwards?"  
  
"Your hair does not get that tousled talking to your aunt. Nor," cutting Nita's response short, " would it get tousled like that even if it was windy. Judging by dust on your clothes, I'd also say you were on the moon at some point. And I think I know who you were with, too."  
  
Dairine was slightly too smart for her own good. And for Nita's good. "Okay, Miss I-Know-Everything," Nita stated sardonically, "astound me with your abilities. Who was I with?"  
  
"Well, since Kit was here all evening, you're not into flings, and I would certainly know if you had a new boyfriend, plus that fact that you were in Ireland, I'd say it was that dark-haired guy that was crushing on, and being crushed on by, you in Ireland over the summer. What was his name? Ron-something. Ronald, no, Ronan. That was it! Ronan. You visited Ronan, went to the moon and...."  
  
Okay, so Dairine was incredibly too smart for her own good. Nita was fed up and she snapped, "Fine. Okay, Sherlock, you caught me. I made-out on the moon with Ronan. Happy?" She glared at Dairine.  
  
"Well, aren't we overly sensitive." Dairine answered, never missing a beat. "You'd think you'd be in a better mood after getting some action from your crush." Nita slipped off one of her shoes and threw it at Dairine. She ducked, and continued, "Okay, okay, I get the hint. But here's one from me: Look in the mirror before you go see Mom and Dad. I'll tell them that you're home and will be right out."  
  
In spite of her annoyingness, Nita took Dairine's advice. After one quick glance in the mirror above her bureau, she could see how Dairine had come to her conclusion. Her hair was tousled in a way that it's obvious how it got tousled (Not that Nita had a lot of experience in that area.); her clothes were rumpled and covered in moon dust. She quickly pulled off her clothes and slipped into some jeans and a shirt that were laying in a heap on the floor. She grabbed a brush of her bureau top and ran it quickly through her hair. Only then did she head downstairs to talk to her parents. 


	3. Mindful of the Mainstay

I was going to post this last Friday, but other circumstances have prevented. I have greaat news! Well, for me anyway. Bad for you guys, i guess. I made Children's Theatre (A theatrial profermence the high school puts on for K-4 grades. ) I was one of three freshman that was called back for the third and fourth days. The only bad thing about this is that it means practices M,W,F until 5, and T,Th from 7-9. Plus add Scholar Bowl practice, Speech and Acting, which will mean one afternoon and every Saturday, Wensday night church, Creative Writing club, and homework. Somewhere, I have to fit in the unimportant stuff, like eating and sleeping. This leaves about 2 minutes a day to write. I think I have enough written ahead to give you guys a chapter a week, AS LONG AS YOU R7R!! He he he!!   
  
Radella, disregard my review of your chapter 4, I went back and read 3 when I got a chance, and I'm in the wrong. Have you e-mailed me yet? My box is screwing up and it deleted several e-mails, so if you sent it, I haven't got it. Also, does your blackmail still stand?  
  
REad and review if you want more! Or read and say you don't want more. Let me know! Hsve sny suggestions? Give me those too! (Any suggestions about Nita and Kit won't be listened to. I knoe where I'm going there, and it begins to devolp in the chapter, but will be elaborated on in future chapters.)  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: After having trouble trying to do italics for mindtouch conversation, I said "Screw this." and decided I'd do my own thing. ~"Messages spoken in mindtouch is written like this." ~  
  
  
After the suspected "How Annie?" and "Did you have a good time?"-'s, Nita went back upstairs and showered. She scrubbed her hair, washing out the dust that had gotten there when she was on the moon with Ronan.  
  
She stepped out of the shower, tobogganing a towel around herself. As she slipped into her pajamas, her thought began running rampant. Forget holidays in the Bahamas, space was much more romantic. She still felt slightly embarrassed, as well as more than a little guilty, about what happened. Her aunt had trusted her enough to let her go visit a (male) friend when she had the chance, which happened to be slightly late at night, and what had she done? Betrayed that trust by staying out until 1:30 (his time) and doing more than just talking.   
  
"Nice euphemism, Nita." she scolded herself, squeezing out her hair, and brushing it. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers to her chin. She sighed, a name playing over and over in her head. Even so, she quickly fell asleep, with that one thought....Ronan....Ronan...Ronan.........  
  
Nita woke up the next morning, refreshingly happy. She had had a wonderful dream, though she couldn't remember it now. She could remember the evening before on the moon, though. Nita sighed. She had to stop obsessing about that. She had a biology test today, and, though it wouldn't be difficult, she would need to concentrate. She wondered what time it was. It had to be before seven, because her alarm hadn't yet gone off- wait. She hadn't set her alarm! What time was it?  
  
8:10.   
  
Nita popped out of bed and grabbed the first outfit she could from her closet, pair of shorts, and a white shirt that her Mom had just bought her.. She was extremely glad that she had showered the night before, but there was no way that she could get ready in time to walk to school. This is when being a wizard came in extremely helpful. But, where could she transport to so that she didn't attract attention? Then it struck her- she could seek out Kit and he could find a safe place for her.  
  
  
Kit reached the school and looked around for Nita. He couldn't find her. He was about to give up and go inside when...  
  
~"Kit? Kit, are you there?"~ Nita was reaching out to him in mindtouch.  
  
~"Nita? Where are you?"~ He asked, worried. What was she doing?  
  
~"Um, I overslept. I'm still at my house. In fact, I'm not fully dressed yet. I'm doing so now."~  
  
Kit wished she hadn't added the last part. His head was instantly filled willed impure thoughts about Nita not being fully dressed. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind. ~"Well, what do you need?"~   
  
And does it have anything to do with not being fully dressed? he added to himself. (I guess he didn't push the thoughts far enough.)  
  
~"Can you find me a place I can come to school without causing an uprise?"~  
  
~"But you're not even dressed."~ he commented cheekily.  
  
~"Idiot. I just put on my shirt. I'll be there in two minutes."~   
  
More impure thoughts at the thought of Nita talking to him without her shirt on. "Stop it!" he commanded himself sharply. ~"Um, okay. I have a simple confusion spell for unnoticeability. I'll cast in a five foot radius of me. I'll be sitting by the mascot statue."~  
  
~"Okay. Be there in just a minute."~  
  
While Kit quickly set the spell, Nita pulled her hair into a ponytail, and ran downstairs to see if she could grab something real quick to eat.  
  
"Nita!" her mother exclaimed. "I though you had all ready left!"  
  
"I overslept. No time to talk." Nita said quickly, rummaging through the pantry.  
  
"Granola bars on the second shelf. How are you going to get to school on time?" her mother pressed.  
  
"Kit's helping. Bye, Mom!" Nita grabbed a granola bar, kissed her mother on the cheek, and appeared next to Kit, who was sitting on the base of the statue of the school mascot.  
  
"So, how does this little spell work, anyway?" Nita asked, curious.  
  
"I'm not entirely sure, but I think it basically makes us the least important thing on a person's mind."  
  
"So it's like that spell on the backroom of the pub!" Nita exclaimed. "But, they said it was extremely complicated and took a long time to write. How could this be as easy as you say?"  
  
"Well, I'm not sure what spell you're talking about, but this one it only temporary. In about 45 seconds, people will take notice of us again, and no one will realize that you didn't walk up here with in the last five minutes."  
  
"Right." Nita said, accepting the spell at face value; figuring it out would be a waste of her time and energy. (Especially because she need that energy for biology.) She unwrapped the granola bars and ate in in two bites.  
  
"Ah wa sill ah for is faferoon?" Nita asked, her month full of granola. Kit laughed. She swallowed and repeated, "Are we still one for this afternoon?"   
  
"Yeah, meet me in out normal spot. We'll go get Ponch, and go on our walk."   
  
The bell rang out into the morning. "Homeroom in five minutes. Got here just in the nick of time." Kit told Nita.  
  
"Wow, you're incredibly observant today!" Nita said sarcastically. "See you after school!"  
  
And she walked away, leaving Kit starting after her, shaking his head at how she never failed to amaze him. 


	4. Daydream, but a Date?

Shorter than my other chapters, but I wanted thises to end the way it does. Look, both N/K and N/R 'shippers', stick with me, okay? Remember, how it seems is not always how it is, how it is, is no how it ends up, and how it ends up is not how it stays. Make any sense? Well, I get it and that's the only thing that matters. :p Also remember, my life isn't fair, so my story's character's lives shan't be either. Since t's nearing midnight, and I have to get up early for a Speech and Acting workshop, I'm barking arf. Er, signing off. PS: I know my chapter titles are streching it, but I thought I'd be cute and make them Double lettery, but *sigh* I'm feeling a lack of creativity right now. Anyone think of better double letter titles, let me know!   
  
--------  
"Mr. Rodregez, can you answer the question? Mr. Rodregez!"  
  
Kit snapped out his daze and realized where he was- not alone with Nita at Hudson Canyon again, but at his desk in American History. "What?" he asked the teacher. The class snickered, but Kit was beyond caring.  
  
"I asked you, 'The Kent State Shootings happened during what war?'"  
  
Kent State Shootings, Kent State Shootings....that was when those guardsmen shot those four students that were protesting. Protesting!   
  
"Vietnam," he correctly answered.  
  
  
Nita placed her finished biology test on her teacher's desk and walked back to her desk. Her teacher gave them the entire 45-minuted period to work on the test, but it only taken Nita about 15 minutes. She had the next 30 minutes to kill. Nita pulled out her geometry book and completed the 10 problems that had been assigned for home work. Ten minutes left to go.  
  
All of a sudden, a thought struck Nita. She had never tried to talk mindtouch with Ronan. She decided to try now.  
  
~"Ronan? It's Nita. Are you there?"~  
  
Thousands of miles away, Ronan choked on his dinner.  
  
~"Nit--Nita? What?"~ Ronan was confused.  
  
~"Don't tell me you've never spoken mindtouch before."~   
  
~"Well, yeah, of course I have, but never...." ~Ronan searched for the right phrasing.  
  
~"'But never' what?"~ she jokingly reprimanded, ~"Never with a Yank? Never with someone this far away? Or never with me?"~  
  
~"All three. I never really knew it worked this far. Never came up. I've really don't use mindtouch much."~ Ronan informed her.   
  
~"Well, I'm very experienced. Kit and I do it all the time."~  
  
~"So your mother actually should be worried?"~ he teased, twisting her words.  
  
If he hadn't been so far away, she would has smacked him for his inappropriate interpretation of her phrasing. ~"Watch it, boy! That's not what I meant, and you know it!"~  
  
~"Okay, okay. So what are you doing?"~ he questioned.  
  
~"I'm in biology, finished my test, did my geometry, and decided to try and reach you until the bell rang."~  
  
~"Ouch. Well, I'm eating dinner. So I was thinking, if you could, would you like to come over here Friday night?"~  
  
~"I don't have any plans yet. So what would we do?" Nita was euphoric! He was inviting her over!  
  
"Well, there's a teen dance night at one of the pubs here. They have music, serve non-alcoholic drinks, and such. I'm inviting you— as long as you promise not to pour anything on me."~  
  
Nita laughed, remembering last summer. This gained weird glances from her classmates, and a stern look from her teacher. ~"I'd love to come."~ she answered happily.  
  
~"How early can you come here? It's open from 8:30 until 11:30."~  
  
~"Um..."~ Nita started, thinking, ~"I get out of school at 3:30, and I can get home in ten minutes if I hurry. By the time I change.."~ (and we know how long THAT can take before a date. ;-})...~"Where am I meeting you by the way?"~  
  
~"The overlays are probably still too thick close to town, but it's only about about a 15-20 minutes walk from that one spot. "~   
  
~"Oh, crap. That's the bell. I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, Ronan."~  
  
For the second time that day, Nita left, leaving behind a guy that would do anything in the world for her, glad that he got a chance to talk to her, but disappointed that she was gone. 


	5. Afternoon of odd Adventure

Sorry it?s taken me so long to get this up...everything going agaisn?t me...only on the internet at school, not at home wehre I could post a story...when I finally got a chance?FF.net was down. AH!!! Oh well, here you go..........   
  
  
  
"Okay, it's going to take too long to build another connector, like the one I have on Ponch. You're just going to have to hold on to this one, too, or hold my hand, or something." Kit stated, hoping she's opt for the hand.   
  
"Holding your other hand would probably be easier than both of us trying to hold the leash." Nita answered.   
  
She picked the hand, she picked the hand! Kit stopped himself before he got too over-joyed. She just picked it because it was easier. What was up with him lately? Ever since he and Nita chased Dairine across the universe, and Nita had told him that she liked him (Whether it was that she LIKED him liked him, or just liked him, was unknown to him, but he went with the former one.), he had started see her in a different light.   
  
Those couple days when they were fighting and not talking were hell to Kit. Though he occasionally couldn't live with her, he couldn't imagine life without her. Without her smile, her laugh, her expression when she's extremely mad. The way she sometimes tries to pretend everything is okay, but can't. Kit would do anything in the world to keep her from ever having that look on her face when it had such an expression of pain on it. again. He'd...   
  
"Earth to Kit, Yo...KIT!" Nit waved her hand in front of his face.   
"Oh, sorry. What'd you say?" Kit snapped out of is fantasy, and back into reality.   
  
"I asked you if you were ready to go yet." Nita said, slightly exasperated.   
  
"Oh, yeah, sure. Let's go. Now, remember what I told you. I'm letting Ponch go where he wants to, but you won't be there until you imagine something. And beware unconscious wishes."   
  
"Got it." confirmed Nita, trying not to let her exasperation get the best of her.   
  
"Is it time to go? You put the leash on me! Let's go! Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Ponch clearly was more than ready to leave.   
  
Kit slipped the other end of the leash on his wrist, grabbed Nita's hand, and they were off.   
  
Nita found herself smothered in blackness. Her first instinct was panic, but Kit's words came back to her, "You won't be there until you imagine something." So she concentrated, thinking, "How about a strawberry daquiri?"   
  
Instantly, she was in what looked to be a park, with a glass of thick pink liquid in one hand; the other hand was still being held by Kit, who was standing next to her. She could see Ponch chasing squirrels around not to far away.   
  
"Why do the squirrels follow him?" Nita asked, noting this odd behaviour.   
  
"I'm not sure. I think because he wants them to." Kit replied.   
  
"Hmm." commented Nita, taking a drink of her daquiri. She instantly spit it out, spraying Kit.   
  
"What's wrong?" asked Kit, wiping off his face.   
  
"I didn't specify non-alcoholic."   
  
"Ah."   
  
A new glass appeared in Nita's hand and she drink it happily. "Thanks better. Want a drink?" she offered the glass to Kit.   
  
"Mmmmm..." said Kit, taking a sip, "What is it?"   
  
"A strawberry dacquri. I got one when we went out to eat after Mom got out of the hospital. Olive Garden. Now give it back!" Nita demanded, lunging.   
  
"Oh?" asked Kit brashly, standing up, "this is the drink you want? This one?"   
  
"Yes, actually it is." she responded, matching his tone and rising as well.   
  
"Oh, well then, okay." Kit took at huge glup, and then took off running.   
  
Nita chased after him. She caught up to him and lunged for the half-empty glass. Kit jerked back his arm, causing Nita to miss the glass, and hit Kit instead. The glass lurched forward, and spilled all over Nita's brand-new white shirt.   
  
"Crap! How am I going to explain this? I wish I had some other clothes." Nita exclaimed, fuming.   
  
Suddenly Nita was wearing different clothes. She looked down and gasped. Kit, who had turned around in hopes of guarding himself from some of Nita's wrath, glanced back to see what had made her gasp. His jaw dropped and his eyes bulged out of their sockets.   
  
Nita was wearing a lacy, low-cut, very short, and very revealing navy blue negligee.   
  
A/N:   
This chapter seems a bit "out there", and doesn't really seem to have and point right now. But, if things go the way I want them to (I'm sure you other writers know that stories have a life of there own, and If it wan't to go another way, it will.), some stuff will come back up.   
  
And can you tell what I had to drink the night before I wrote this chapter? (Non-alcholic, I swear!)


	6. Predate Paraphernalia

I am SOOO happy, I'm floating. This year is my first year on Speech and Acting, meaning I'm a novice. Saturday was my very first tournment. However, I broke varsity finals and ended up geting 2nd place on the varsity scale and in comparison to the other varsity people, some of which have been doing this for years. I couldn't have been more excited even if I HAD gotten first. (The guy who got first gave a good speech [tohugh I disagreed with half of what he was saying], and had obviously been doing this for sometime.) I'm SOOOO HAPPY!!!!   
  
On top of that, last night I tried out for Arsenic and Old Lace, a dinner theather the museam is doing, and made it! So I've had a very good week so far.   
  
But I'm sure you'd much rather find out what's happing with Nita, Ronan, Kit and the ever lovable Dairine....   
  
(Wait, ever lovable would be Ronan....) (Ooops, did I type that out loud?)   
  
Two hours later, Nita was still steaming (and slightly abashed) about what had happened. It wasn't about what Kit had seen...it wasn't like it was anything he hadn't seen before. But then again, that was two years ago, a lot had changed since then, and anyway, they were on errantry. Regardless, it was the WAY he had seen it. (Though briefly. Split seconds after glancing down, Nita's outfit had changed to shorts and shirt identical to the one she was wearing before, minus the stain.) How did her wish for a dry shirt turn into THAT?   
  
Kit's words came back to her, "And beware unconscious wishes."   
  
She was pretty sure that while she might, might have been wishing for something a little bit cooler, there was no way she was subconsciously wishing for blue lingerie. She was also pretty sure that Ponch was to preoccupied with squirrels to me making clothing choices for her. That left....   
  
But Kit? (Ah, readers. Don't be to hard on him. He IS a hormone-raging teenage male, after all.) How? Why? He had never before shown any of that kind of interest in Nita.   
  
This was getting Nita nowhere. She had much more important things to concentrate on. Much, much more important things. Like what to wear tomorrow night.   
  
Remembering that black seemed to be the rampant color, she pulled out the black skirt her mom had got her. Or rather the skirt she had to twist her mom's arm so she'd buy it. Her mom thought it was too tight, and too short. Well, it WAS tighter and shorter than what Nita usually wore, but girls at school wore skirts two or three inches shorter, at least.   
  
Nita slipped into the skirt, and stood back to admire it. She nodded her head. It fit her very well. But what shirt to where with it? After pulling ump-teen hundred shirts out of the closet (okay, maybe it was closer to 17), holding them up against her, looking in the mirror, then tossing them in to floor, Nita was getting frantic. Anything she had to match it might be well enough for school, but she was going dancing at a teen club, for crying out loud. She pulled out another top, held it up, and threw it to the floor in exasperation the moment Dairine walked in.   
  
"You've got a date! Oooooh...this is great!" she squealed.   
  
"Don't you ever knock?" Nita asked, annoyed.   
  
"Don't you know the answer to that by now?" Dairine shot back.   
  
"All right, all right, you win. I don't have time to argue this. I have to find something to where with this." Nita gestured to her skirt.   
  
"Hmm...depends on what you're doing. And who are you going with?"   
  
"Going dancing at a teen club with Ronan. But why does it matter?"   
  
"The cute Irish guy? Go Nita! And depends on where you're going for what you wear. And I just wanted to know who the guy was. Figured it was Ronan, but wanted to make sure. Be right back!" Dairine darted out.   
  
Nita sighed. That was Dairine for you. Make bold (and usually) assumptions, pump you for information, then leave you in the dust, trying to follow her logic.   
  
Moments later, Dairine returned, with something in her hands. She held it up. It was a glittery, red, one-shoulder tank top.   
  
"Try on this." Dairine said, smuggly.   
  
Dairine handed her the top, and Nita quickly changed into it. She stood back and admired herself in the mirror.   
  
"Dari! I love it! It's perfect!" Nita exclaimed. "Where did you get this? Mom would never buy it."   
  
"She bought you that skirt."   
  
"Yeah, and I had to twist her arm and haggle her into it. And I think she bought it because she had a headache and wanted to get me to shut up."   
  
"I can relate there." Dairine ducked the hanger Nita had seized and chucked at her. "Okay, okay, fine. I was at the mall the other day, and it was on the clearance rack. I tried it on and liked it. I hadn't got around to showing Mom yet. But it doesn't matter. It looks better on you, anyhow." Dairine sighed.   
  
Nita chuckled and replied. "Give it a couple of years. But you'd let me wear this?"   
  
"Sure. Why not?"   
  
"I love you, Dari."   
  
"Doesn't everyone?"   
  
"That's debatable." Dairine feigned a hurt face, changed her mind, stuck out her tongue, and slid out the door.   
  
  
A/N: I posted this so soon after the other one because of the only large gap between Chapter 4 and 5. Though this would be a fun one to leave for a couple weeks. Fun to read the flames. But maybe I'll do that for chapter 8 or 9. You thought if you though the last chapter was "interesting", you're in for a worser fate {Sorry, went "Little Mermaid" for a sec}. with chapter 9. I finished it this mornign before school. man, was THAT fun to write. He he he. 


	7. Hairy Dilemmas

I got sick of trying to do the same-letter tiles and thought this title was approperte.   
  
  
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As Nita cleaned up the results from ?Tornado Nita?, she was thinking about how she could get from school, to her house, changed, hair fixed, and to Ireland in minimal time, when an idea hit her. She had no desire to wear that skirt and shirt combination to school, much less near her mother, much much less near her father (especially if he knew she was going on a date.) The solution? Her pocket of space! She had used it before to carry various items, like her jacket last fall. Why not put her outfit in it when, as Dairine put it, ?...there?s umpteen billion cubic parsecs of perfectly good otherspace to stick it in.?   
  
Nita hung up the last of the shirts. She pulled out a pair of strapy clog sandals that perfectly matched her skirt, and picked up the shirt and skirt from her bed in one hand. She said a few words, and the air in her other hand became hard under her fingers. She slid her complete out fit in her pocket of otherspace, along with miscellaneous items she used in her wizardry and else where. She then began considering two more important factors. First, how to tell her mother (and father, for that matter, but it'd be much easier to tell her mom and have her mom tell her dad) that she not only was going out on a date with a guy her mom had never met, but she was going out on a date in Ireland. Nita hadn't dated much. Actually, her dating had been strictly limited to the previous summer with Ronan, and even that didn't fit the traditional "date" format. A couple times in a restaurant with other people, including the time they met, a night in a bar, and saving present-day Ireland. Hey, who said non-traditional was all bad?  
  
Oh well, Nita couldn't do anything about her mother until she got back from her weekly doctor visit. This lead Nita to concentrate on item number two: What to do with her hair?  
  
She needed something that could either be done tonight or tomarrow morning and still look good tomarrow afternoon, or something that could be done quickly, very quickly, tomarrow afternoon. They way she would really like to fix it (in a fraying bun, that is a bun with her hair frayed around it, looking like a hair ponytail holder, only better, because it was natural), wouldn't work because it takes too long to put up so it looks decent, but wouldn't stay well enough to have it look perfect at theend of the day. Perhaps she could just braid it tonight and wear it crimpy the next day, with some of those twistly sparkle-thing in it. Wait—braids! She was struck with an idea. Hmm.. It just might do. Nita set to work.  
  
A while later, she was almost done. Over three-fourths of her head was covered in tiny braids. She had about ten more to go, inculding the one that her fingers currently ran over, nimble. She was half done with it when the phone rang. Grasping the end of her braid, Nita made for the phone. By the time she reached it, however, it had stoped ringing, so she sat back down and continued braiding. When Nita was on the last braid, Dairine came barging into Nita's room again.   
  
"That was Dad. They had to wait at the doctor's, so they were already running late. They're going stop at the grocery store, then get pick up a pizza. We're supposed to call it in and they'll pick it up. Mom's okay, as far as it goes, according to Dad and her latest's check-up. Interesting hair, by the way. I like it. What do you want on the pizza?" All this Dairine said in one breath.  
  
Nita laugh and replied, "Thanks, and is black olive okay?"  
  
"Sure. Deep pan?"  
  
"Sounds good. You call it in or me?"  
  
"I will, if you want."  
  
"Be my guest." Nita granted.  
  
Nita tied off her last braid and glanced at her watch. 6:15. Five hours later would be 11:15. Ronan might still be up...she decided to check. She reached out her mind for his. She found it, but his mind didn't have the deep, serene feel of sleep. Instead, Nita sensed uneasiness and angry. She, against her better judgement, searched farther, rather than pullback and try mindtouch with him. Suddanly, she was seeing what she assumed was his house, and a woman she assumed was his mother through his eyes. And through his years she heard:  
  
"DON'T SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT! I am you mother, for goodness sake! Have some respect!" the woman yelled.  
  
Ronan responded, "I don't need this right now! Esspeacially not from you, MOTHER. All materal respect you deserve is lost in your unMOTHERly actions. I don't have to take this."   
  
Ronan grabbed a jacket off the back of the coach and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him. He furiously strode in no particular direction, his angry thoughts so vividily apparent that Nita had no trouble overhearing them, as much as she tried not to. She wanted to talk to him, but now was clearly not the time. She was feeling guilty about using the "illeagal brain tapping" that she had reprimanded Kit for using on her before. Now look at her. What a hypocrite.  
  
Ronan stopped abrubtly, sank against a tree, and sighed. Ntia realized where she, er, HE was. Ronan was leaning against a tree in the spot with the weak overlays, where Nita came over to Ireland at. Appartenly, Ronan realized this too, for Nita noticed his angry ebbing away to sadness, and as much as she tried not to over hear his thoughts (Well, as much as you can try to ignore someone's thpughts when you are voluntarily invading their mind, that is.), one made itself apparent.   
  
God, I wish Nita were here.  
  
Now she had herself in a fix. How could she not go? She scribbled off a "Be back in 15 minutes." note, and (since she didn't want Ronan to see her hair until tomarrow night) shoved her hair into a hat. She spoke a very familar words, and could hardly resist smiling at the priceless look on Ronan's face when he saw her.   
  
"Oh, sweet Powers that Be..." he gabbed. "What..."  
  
He broke off and Nita ran to him. They embraced, and he pulled her into a kiss.  
  
"Wait."Nita interupted, "Before you decide I'm heaven-sent, I'd like explain and apoligize."  
  
"I've always thought you were heaven-sent, Nita."  
  
Nita blushed, but preceded to tell him about her brain-tapping faux pas. "I'm sorry." she finsihed.  
  
"Well, look at it this way," Ronan said, "if you hadn't, I'd've been left here to wallow in misery and anger alone."  
  
"What happened? If you want to tell me," she added hastily.  
  
"Full story or 'Reader's Digest' version?" he asked.  
  
Niota glanced at her watch, then said apologetically, "Reader's Digest version, I'm afaird. I left a note that I'd only be gone 15 minutes."  
  
"My mother just decided to tell me that she's enganged after I was asked when the wedding was by soemone in the store."  
  
"Ouch. Do you like the guy?"  
  
"Don't get me started unless you have a couple hours to spare."  
  
"Okay. Um, Ronan, I hate to change the subject but..."  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"The reason I was trying to mindtouch in the first palce. I need to get our plans set for tomarrow, so I can broach the subject with my mother."  
  
"Well, it starts at 8:30, but what did you say was the earliest you could be there?"  
  
"I figured out how he fastest way for me. Still It will be about 3:25-3:30 befre I can get here. When's it over?"  
  
"Well, I'll meet you here, in our little grove, then tomarrow. We can still make it by eight fourty-fiveish. It's over at 11:30."  
  
"'Our little grove'? I like. And afterwards I can talk to you more. I really have to go now." It had been twenty minutes.  
  
"Okay." Ronan said, slightly regrtful, it seemed to Nita. They traded goodbyes, and Nita got back just as Dairine threw open threw open the door.  
  
"Are you deaf? I've only been screaming at you for the last couple minutes. And i DID try knocking this time; see why I never knock? You don't anwser. Mom and Dad are here. "  
  
  
  
After dinner, after Dairine went upstairs to "do some work" (whether for school or otherwise, Nita didn't know) and her father went to balence his checkbook, something he had taken over after her mom was diagnosied, Nita carefully aproached the subject of tomarrow night.  
  
"Mom, we don't ahve any plans for tomarrow afternoon and night, do we?"  
  
"Not yet, sweetie. Why?" her mother questioned.  
  
"Would you be opposed to me going out dancing?"  
  
"You have a date?" Was it just Nita or did her mother sound slightly astonished, yet excited. Nita nodded. Her mother continued, "With who? When do I get to meet him? Where are you going?"  
  
"Ronan. I don't think you'll get to meet him this time. See, he lives in Irelend - I met him over the summer when I stayed with Annie - and he invited to go to this teen dance night thing. But, because of time zone differences, I have to leave immeaditly after school. "   
  
"Wanna back up and say that again?"   
  
Nita stopped, and repeated her story, clarifying along the way. She finally had her mother understanding what was going on and agreeing to it. Being as discrypt as possible about the 5-hour time zone difference and hoping her mom was tired enough not to notice, Nita told her mother that she would be back by, 8:30 PM. Very happy that she could go, Nita thank her mom and settled back to watch a movie with her.  
___________  
A/N: I know Ronan's OOC, but screw that, he's MINE now and I'll make him act how ever I want! And I'm crediting it to AWA and his change, losing he whole "mad at the world" thing, so I can back up thing change. Ronan's going to be OOC for the rest of the story, because I'm correcting his flaws in desperation that a certain someone will act more like him.....but that's beside the point. REVIEW ANYWAY! 


	8. Almost There

Sorry guys, only part of the chapter. I have chapter 9 and 10 done, but and the end of eight typed, but there's one part of this chapter that just WON'T COME!!! Grr.... So I decided to post part of this. On top, I have this big english story to write about Telemachus (for THe Odyssey), so it's going to be a bit til I can work on this again. So enjoy what you have and I'll post the rest later!  
  
  
"What in the heck did you do to your hair?!?"   
  
"Gee, good morning, Kit. I love you, too." Nita replied sarcastically to Kit's reaction her hair at school the next day.  
  
"It doesn't look i bad i exactly, just, uh, different. But, why?" Kit spieled quickly.  
  
"Nice try. I'm going out dancing tonight."  
  
"'Going out dancing on a date, going out?" Kit pressed.  
  
"Maybe." Nita said in a voice that clearly meant 'yes'.  
  
Even so, Kit felt the need to confirm with, "Maybe-maybe, or yes-maybe?"  
  
"Affirmative." Nita was exasive.  
  
"Which one?" Kit was getting frustrated.   
  
"Didn't I already answer?" Sensing his frustration, she strung him along.  
  
"You'd make a good lawyer, you know." Nita just smiled. Kit continued, "ANSWER!"  
  
Nita laughed and said, "Okay, okay. Yes-maybe."  
  
Nita laughed again at the look on his face.  
  
  
The day seemed the just crawl along. When the final bell rang, Nita hurried to the bathroom to change. She slipped into the largest stall, and muttered a couple words. The air between her fingers became hard, and she fished out her stuff. She quickly changed clothes,and slipped on the shoes. She exited the stall double-checked her hair, applied just a little bit of make-up, and went back into the stall. Making sure she had the air-displacement right, to make the smallest noise possible, and, moments later, was standing next to a tree in Ireland— and was barrelled over, landing on the ground with Ronan on top of her.  
  
He immediately jumped up and began apologizing, a jumbled sentence words broken by gasping breaths, "I'm sorry..I was late...ran here...wasn't looking....really sorry..." He paused, took a couple breaths and added, "Are you okay?"  
  
Nita collected herself, stood back up with the aid of Ronan's hand, and brushed herself off. (Not an easy thing to in a short skirt and high sandals.) "It's okay. I'm fine. Just haven't been tackled like that since what was bsupposedb to be flag football in P.E., but didn't turn out to be."  
  
Ronan laughed, and, getting a good look at Nita, tried to make an articulate compliment, but ended up with, "Wow, you, you look, uh..."   
  
Nita put on a bad British accent and quoted, "Close your mouth, Ronan. We are not a codfish."  
  
"Wha..What?" Ronan look turned into one of confusion.  
  
"You've never seen 'Mary Poppins'?" He shook his head. "You deprived child."  
  
Ronan shrugged and said, "We probably should get going."  
  
After a few minutes, Nita's feet were killing her. Her shoes were okay for awhile dancing, sitting, short visits, but not for walking long distances.   
  
"Hold it a second." Nita stopped.  
  
"What?" Ronan asked, stopping, but looking slightly impatient.  
  
"We'll make better time if I change my shoes." Nita said matter-a-factly, as she pulled her tennis hoes out of her pocket of space (Poor thing's gettin' a lot of use, huh?) and slipped her sandals in. She put on and tied the shoes, then announced, "Ready."  
  
As they preceded, Nita said, "Sorry I had to run so fast last night. Do you want to talk more about it?"  
  
"Do I ever want to talk about him?" Ronan asked rhetorically, putting negative emphasis on "ever" and "him". He sighed, "But, yes, I do, if you don't mind hearing me gripe." He glanced over to Nita, who nodded encouragingly.  
  
"She started dating Ralph about three months ago. What's worse, is beforehand she was dating a guy name John that wasn't half-bad, as far as her sycophants (A/N: I'll use big words if I want! Look'em up!) go, and she dumped him for Ralph. I didn't even know she had until Ralph showed up at our house to take her out. I was pretty much into ignoring her men, but I noticed he wasn't John and commented on this. My mom came down at that moment, shot me a dirty look, and then yelled at me about it later. She said that her and John were over. They had nothing in common, and he had cheated on her, and to never mention his name again." Ronan laughed.  
  
"What?" asked Nita.  
  
"It's just the irony. See, I ran into John at a diner a couple weeks after this incident. He asked me how I was doing, and if my mom was still with 'that man'. Turns out my mother the story she told me mixed up. He didn't cheat on her and she found out, she had cheated on him, and decided that she liked Ralph better. Why, I couldn't tell you." he added as an afterthought, then continued, "Like I said,her new guy, Ralph, is a complete jerk. He never calls me by my name, just 'kid', 'hey, you' or something similar. That's when he even acknowledges me. He'll come over and my mom won't be completely ready, so I'll, rather unfortunately, have to get the door and he'll just push past me. He hates me being around when he's at our house. I don't think I can stand living with that bastard."  
  
"And now they're getting married. But the kicker is how I found out they were engaged. Like I said last night, no one, including my mom and Ralph, said anything about it. I was at the grocery, and a woman came up to me and said, 'When's the wedding? Are you excited?' I responded, 'Excited? About bwhat/b?' I think she thought I was being sarcastic. She replied, 'Your mother and what's-his-name, Ralph, is it? Their wedding.' Then she walked off muttering about 'today's young people'. I honestly wasn't being sarcastic for once, I really had no idea what she was talking about."  
  
"That's harsh."  
  
Ronan nodded and continued, "I confronted my mom. Asked her if she was getting married. She blew up. She said they 'just hadn't gotten aroung to it yet, but they were plan on it soon'. I found out they'd been engaged a week already. She also said I had no right to accuse her of anything. My tempre flared, said some thing I probably shouldn't have, and, well, you heard the ending."  
  
Nita nodded. They were in town now. Ronan said, "It's right up here; we'll be there in a minute. Can we not bring this lovely subject back up tonight? I want to forget it and have fun."  
  
"Sure," said Nita, "and I need to change back into my shoes. As much as these complement my outfit, I like the others better." Nita glanced around, changed her shoes, and her and Ronan entered the dance. 


	9. The Dance!

So so long! I don't have long to post this or write much here; my sister wanted the computer. But many devlopments many devolpments! And I want five more reviews before I post chapter 10! Also, I'm trying to do HTML and don't have time to test it to see if it worked. If it didn't, forgive me! (One more thing: Anyone interested in Beta Reading for me? Email me. My address is on my profile, and here: drjdbn@hotmail.com)  
  
UPDATE: Screwed that one up. Redid Mejella part fixed bad attempt at HTML  
  
Ronan slipped his arm around Nita waist as they, after paying, walked out of the entrance and into the actual dance area. It was only about twenty minutes later than the opening of the dance, but it was pretty full. Evadently, these dances were quite popular; the dance floor was populated by a large crowd of teenagers moving in beat to the music that was pounding out of the speakers. More teenagers lounged around on a group of tables that were set up near a bar.  
  
"Yo, Ronan, over here!" a voice, barely audible over all the noise, called from a table as they passed. Ronan turned around and he and Nita threded their way over to it.  
  
"Hey, everybody. This is Nita. Nita, everybody."  
  
"Wow, I didn't know everybody could fit at one table." remarked Nita sarcasically.  
  
"Okay, okay, my mistake." admited Ronan, laughing. "This is Paul," gesturing to the guy who had called them over here, a dirty-blond with smiling eyes, "and Janette," the pretty brunette at Paul's side. Ronan continued, introducing her to Renae, John, David, Aisling, Jennifer, Marc, Caro, Sonya, Lia, and Jack. When he finished, Paul asked,  
  
"Well, are we hear to gab or dance?"  
  
Moments later, Ronan and Nita, along with "everybody", were out on the dance floor.  
  
This is great!, thought Nita, wishing she'd discovered how much fun dancing could be earlier. Every stress seemed to melt away as she was swept up in the music, keeping (relativly) in time with the beat, Ronan beside her.  
  
About thirty minutes later, she sunk in a chair, sweating and with he face flushed. Ronan had went to get them some drinks. Sonya joined her. She had dark eyes, and black hair with maroon streaks. She asked, "I've met you before, haven't I?"  
  
"Uh..." Nita started, racking her brain to place her.  
  
"Over the summer at the diner, right? You were staying with your aunt or something."  
  
"Oh. Yeah, it was probably me." Nita said, still trying to remember the girl.  
  
"I'm pretty sure it was. You were the only Yank I've talked with in a diner. You still don't remeber me?"  
  
Nita's brain clicked, placing her face. "Did you walk in with Ronan?"  
  
"No....You're probably thinking af Mejella. We look a lot alike. She's my sister, year younger. I was at the the table, though."  
  
"Ah, okay."  
  
"Anyway," Sonya continued, "Ronan was taken with you after you guys met. He thought that it seemed that you liked him, but with you implying that you were sleeping with a guy back in the States, and that's way your parents sent you here, that you were just looking for a guy to tide you over until you got home. He was more worried about this after you guys kissed."  
  
Sonya must of seen the suprise register on Nita's face. She said, "Ronan and I dated at one point but discovered that that was not working. We become really close friends since then; I was one of the very few people he actually would talk to without dripping sarcasim and insults for awhile. He's doing a lot better about that since..." she broke off, but convered quicking by saying, "He tells me just about everything, and I can usally wrangle the rest out of him. He a great guy and I love him to death, which is why I want to know- Are you playing him?"  
  
Nita was abhorred, but knew that lashing out at Sonya would not help matters insted, she took a few deep breaths to try and calm her anger and said, "No. Absolutely not. I really care about Ronan. I..I liked him from the start, too. The thing about Kit-my 'buddy back in the States'-, isn't completely true. It is true that my parents sent me to Ireland to stay with my aunt for the summer to seperate us becasue they though it was true, but it isn't. There isn't, and never has been, anything romantic going on between Kit and I. He's my best friend. Unfortunatly, society doesn't happen to think that's possible. So when I mentioned my parents had sent me here for the summer, and someone said, 'I bet I know why, too.' and made a gesture connoting the reason. It was just a lot easier to agree, than explain all this."  
  
Sonya looked relieved, "Good. I hope I didn't offend you or anything; you looked a litte miffed when I asked. It just, as much as Ronan'd defend that he 'can take care of himself', I look out for him. He does need it. And also, for the record, this conversation never happened. He'd never say half of it, and I suppose I shouldn't've, but I needed to know."  
  
"Fine by me. Nita agreed, "So what...."  
  
"My two favorite hot babes together!" said Ronan, walking up to the table with two drinks in his hand, "What more could a guy ask for?"  
  
Nita raised her eyesbrows and Soyna shot her a wry smile as Ronan slid next to Nita. He offered her a drink, hesitating slightly, and said, "Swear not to dump it on me?"  
  
Nite feigned an ashamed-puppy-dog-pout and, in a somehow matching voice, said, "Okay, I swear." He handed her the drink.  
  
They finished right as a slow song, the first one since they'd arrive, came on.  
  
"It's 'Can't Fight The Moon Light'!" exclaimed Sonya. "I love this song!"  
  
"Come on!" Ronan said to Nita. They added to the number of people drifting either on the dance floor, off it, or around it to find a partner.  
  
"What about Sonya?"  
  
"Oh, she'll find someone. She always does."  
  
They were know on hte dance floor. Ronan pulled Nita close, his arms encircling her waist. Hers were around his shoulders. They swayed in their own nirvana.  
  
But the song ended, much to quickly for Nita and Ronan's liking. The next hour and a half also passed to quickly for Nita's liking. Two more slow songs were played; the rest were fast and excellent for dancing. The last song faded, the lights came on.  
  
Groans were heard around the room, as teenagers droped the hands of their dancing partners  
  
and collected their stuff. Everyone began drifting out the door.  
  
"Hey Ronan!" said a guy, Caro, if Nita remebered correctly. "We're going to the diner...Wanna come?"  
  
Ronan looked at Nita, who looked at her watch. "I don't have to be home for two more hours. Sure."  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Ten minutes later, Nita sat next to Ronan at a booth with "everyone". They talked over cokes and baskets of fries.  
  
At 12:30, the group broke up, and after a round of good-byes and see-you- laters, (and a shoe change on Nita's part) Ronan and Nita were walking towards their grove. Nita didn't have to be home for forty more minutes, and was determined to spend every minute of it with Ronan. So, again, they went to the moon.  
  
They talked a little, but soon fell to kissing. Nita questioned this a bit- they were moving to fast. The chemistry was too much, the already existing multiplied by distance. She hoped that if we was going to have a relationship Ronan, that it wouldn't be all chemistry. She wanted more than that, she wanted substance, she wanted someone she could talk too, and could talk to her. She wanted someone who could make her laugh, and most importantly, someone who cared for her beyond the intense chemistry and physical pleasures.  
  
Sensing something wrong, Ronan pulled back and asked, "Are you okay? If you're not comfortable with this...."  
  
Nita realized that Ronan was all that and more. He did care for her. "No, I'm fine. I was just thinking." she answered, softly kissing him. And besides, it was just kissing. Nita wouldn't let it go any further than that. It was just kissing.  
  
  
  
Kit angrily slammed the door. Carmela was so arrogant. She may be older than he was (not to mention that it was her sisterly duty to torment him), but did she have to be so damn arrogent? She was older only in years spent on earth. He had read from the Book of the Night with the Moon to save New York at ten, sung the Song of Twelve when he was eleven, all the while despretly trying to prevent his best friend and wizardly counterpart from being eatten by a great shark, knowing that if she wasn't then the world's descent into entropy would speed up enormously, and traveled millions of lightyears on a wild chase across universe to save his best friend's younger sister at twelve. At thirteen, he not only faced Balor, the anceint evil of Ireland folklore and history, armed only a cup, a stone, a sword, and a spear wielded by one Kit trusted less than he could through him sitting atop an African elephant, but also fought the Lone One to save his best friend from a fate worse than death, and to prolong his best friend's mother death for a little bit. (A/N: I know I know "Can we say run-on sentance[s]?")  
  
Ironically, all of these hardships seemed to focus around the only who was the reason for his current testy mood. (The mood probably being the reason for his petty fight with his sister.) That one being his best friend- Nita. He couldn't believe she was out on a date. With him, teh one Kit distrusted. Ronan.  
  
But perhaps, a rather devil's advocate of a voice in the back of Kit mind suggested, this was reason Kit distrusted him so, and there was really nothing to worry about.  
  
But Nita wasn't supposed to be with Ronan! She was supposed to be with him!  
  
He had a crush on her. So sue him.  
  
But he was torn. Of course he loved Nita more than life, cared for her more than he did himself, as she did him, but it was the deep love of a friend. He had risked his life for her on numerous occaison, and she had for him. A petty crush wasn't worth this bond. Especially if she didn't feel the same way.  
  
But, ah, the torment! The brush of her hand that sent sparks of his arm, her scent that lingered in his nostrils long after she left the room. Her smile. Her long graceful legs...  
  
But it was nothing, nothing compared to their friendship. The crush wasn't worth it...the crush wasn't worth it...  
  
Keep telling yourself that. Moreover, keep telling your hormones that. he told himself sarcasically. He stopped his pacing, realizing just then that he had, indeed, been pacing. he needed to vent, to concentrate on something. Channel his anger into something positive, as his grade school counsellor had been fond of saying. He decided to go work on his moonstone carving.  
  
Scrawling a "Be Back Soon" message on his family's refrigortar wipe-off message board, Kit was momentarily walking on the moon, heading towards his favorite rock. He must of been really out of it. For the first time in a long time, emotions had interfered with a spell. He had misaimed a few degrees, causing him to end up a couple minutes walking away from his favorite rock, where his carving was concealed between some rocks. As he walked, he felt his mood lift a bit. Just a bit, though. Thoughts of Nita and where she was now ran through his mind.  
  
He was almost to his rock and was so distracted by thoughts that he didn't notice the noise that meant something else besides him was here. He was jolted out of his thoughts when he stubbed his toe on a football-sized moonrock. It was then he heard the noise. Glacing to see where it came from he gaped when he realized what it was. Nita was there with her date Ronan, in full liplock. 


	10. The Argument

Ah, this is getting to much like a soap opera for my liking. Hang on, and soon the plot I orignally planned will be implemented!  
  
Like the last chapter? He he he. A few notes before I let you read this chapter. First of all, part of the reason it took me so long to post was because I was waiting for my Irish friend to give me some songs for the dance, but alas, she hasn't returned my e-mails. So if any song titles I used aren't big or even in exsitance in Ireland, sorry. Second, I realized as soon as I disconnected from the Internet that I had forgotten to put in the conversation at the diner. I was going to come back and do it but I forgot. I figure it sounded okay with out it, so I'm not going to go back and change it. Fixed Kit's sister's name. As for the Mejella thing, oops. I didn't realize she had a name. I reread it now, and redid that part. You may want to reread it, but you don't have too; it's not a big plot effect. Gee I did really bad that chapter I'm sure there were other mistakes as well, but please excuse them. Technology, there were 5 reviews, though two were from the same person. But I don't know when i'll get another chance to post this for two weeks, and I'm sure you are all tearing your hair out in suspense for the next chapter (actually, probably none of you are, but be good for my self-esteem and don't tell me that. Criticism good. Flames not.), so I'll post now. And I'm sure your going to loooooove this ending to this chapter. *smiles*  
  
One more thing: STOP PREDICTING WHICH WAY THE ROMANCE IN THE STORY IS GOING TO GO! Grr... I know that there's a lot of N/K, and I know that people thing Ronan is the spawn of Satan and that Nita NEEDS to be with Kit, but you people aren't writing this story, are you? Comments on anything else, any other direction, are very welcome, but that is the one thing I know how it will end up eventually for all three parties (N/K/R).  
  
---  
  
Kit had never been so embarrassed in his entire life. It was the embarrassment of walking into the wrong bathroom, of having the give a speech in class and forgetting your notes at home, of having a friend shout across shout something you'd like kept private, such as "You like Jane?", across the cafeteria, of chasing after a teacher in a Speech and and acting tournament, and not noticing the occupied chair as you turned the corner of the table, falling on top of the guy sitting the the chair....  
  
*A/N: I interrupt this story to report that that incident NEVER HAPPENED. I have erased that mortifying incident from my mind, making it null and void. But, how could I of erased it form my mind if it never happened? Wouldn't it have never been there to start with? I think I'll stop now and continue with the story before I dig myself deeper.*  
  
...of all those event combined. To walk in on Ronan and Nita.... otherwise engaged. It was even worse than when Kit's subconscience thoughts about Nita had caused her to end up in that skimpy blue thing. Well, at least the embarrassment factor; she looked quite nice in it, if you wanted Kit's honest opinion....But, in the current situation, Kit wanted to dissolve into the moon dust under his feet.  
  
The moment they had noticed Kit, Ronan and Nita had instantly separated. Ronan kind of geared his face away from Kit, but Nita...Nita barely missed a beat. She smoothed her hair and clothing, and glazing at Kit with a look of mixed shock, slight disgust, something resembling, regret, was it?, as well as an emotion only describable as "What-in-the-hell-are-you-doing- here-leave-NOW!". She stood up, and in perfectly normal voice, as if she had bumped into Kit at a store, "Hi, Kit. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I, uh, was, uh, going to, uh, come up here and, uh, work on, uh my carving." Articulate, Kit. he scolded himself.  
  
  
  
Nita was mortified. To be caught making out by your best friend. Your best friend who happened to be a guy. Who also happened to be more over- protective than her father. (Though perhaps that wasn't quite a fair comparison; if her father knew half the risks she had taken in wizardry, he'd have her locked in a safe little bubble. And if he knew about the current incident, he'd probably stick her in a chastity belt faster than she could blink.) She covered as well as she could, tried to act as if this wasn't the most awkward situation ever. She really needed to talk to Kit- alone. But she couldn't just tell Ronan 'Leave now'. Instead she decided on the following,  
  
"Ronan," Nita said softly in his direction, "go back to our grove. I'll be there in a minute." Ronan nodded, muttered, and disappeared.  
  
Kit started, "Nita, what o-"  
  
"Look," Nita interrupted, not cruelly, but more exsaperated, "I know this is an awkward situation. Trust me; very awkward. Let me go take care of Ronan, I'll be back in five minutes. Wait for me and we can talk then. "  
  
Meanwhile, Ronan paced back and forth in the grove. This situation was sticky and could turn nasty quick. He really liked Nita, but knew she and Kit were a packaged deal. If he wanted her, he'd have to put up with Kit. And he didn't dislike Kit, however, this situation could get him and Kit off on the wrong foot very quickly. He couldn't even manage to look at Kit face after he'd arrived. It was obvious that Kit cared a great deal for Nita, almost like a brother. Ronan tried to imagine if he had a sister, and he came across her was a guy making out, what it would be like. He never had any siblings, but he imagined it wouldn't be a pretty sight.  
  
Ronan's train of thought was cut short when Nita appeared.  
  
"Is it going to be okay?" Ronan asked Nita.  
  
"Probably not," she answered wryly, "but he'll get over it. We've been through a lot. This is probably the most embarrassing, but it's not the worst. Come on, let's walk."  
  
Ronan, perfectly content not to have to stand still, fell in stride with Nita as they head back to Ronan's place "How long did you tell him until you'd be back?"  
  
"Five minutes."  
  
"But it's a five minute walk to my house, then five minutes back here."  
  
"Well, he can wait." Nita smiled, "He'll probably be glad, too. Give him more time to contemplate what he'd going to yell at me."  
  
"You could skip out." Ronan suggested.  
  
"Yeah, but its hard to aviod your best friend. Especially when he can get into your mind." Nita winced, "As a matter of fact, if I'm not back immediately, he'll probably use that illegal brain tapping stuff. Like kinda accidently used on you."  
  
"Yeah, but it was a blessing that you did."  
  
"But it wouldn't be a blessing if Kit listened in on me right now. Not being able to read my mind would probably the blessing right now. He doesn't need to know half the things I'm thinking about him right now."  
  
Ronan raised his eyebrows, "Like.....?"  
  
Nita shook her head, "Uh uh. You don't need to know either."  
  
Ronan sighed, "I figured you'd say that." They had reached his house, "I guess this is goodbye for now."  
  
"Yeah. I'll see you later."  
  
She leaned into to kiss him, and he asked, "But what if Kit...?"  
  
"Screw him. Let'em be here. Just let him." Nita leaned in again, letting that refreshing greenness wash over her, wishing she was still on the moon, that Kit has never came, that she didn't have to go back. However, she knew better, and pulled back, exchanging one last good-bye before turning back around and walking to the grove. He watched her retreat until he could no longer see her, then closed the door to his house.  
  
  
  
As soon as Nita returned to the moon, Kit was ready to pounce on her. His first accusation, "What in the Powers' name were you doing?"  
  
Nita, not feeling very gracious towards him, replied sarcastically, "Was it not obvious? What did it look like I was doing?"  
  
"Not dancing." He no longer looked embarrassed, but accusive.  
  
"It ended at eleven-thirty."  
  
"It's only eight."  
  
"Think Kit, time differences."  
  
"Time differnces?? So you mean you were out until, what's it? Five hours?" Nita nodded, Kit continued, "Until 1:00?!"  
  
"It's not the first time." Nita felt no need to tell him that nothing had happened. He could assume whatever the heck he wanted.  
  
"It's not the...." Kit voice changed drastically and the look on his face was absolutely priceless. Then, "Does your mother know?"  
  
"That I was staying out this late? Yes." Sort of, she added to herself.  
  
"Well, clearly she had no grasp of the possibilities."  
  
"Good God, Kit." Nita was ticked now, and every word of she spoke was seething with inculpation ."For goodness sake, I thought you'd be the very last to suggest such a thing. After all those rumours about us, after I went to Annie's the the words flying about how you 'got me into trouble'. You were so freaking touchy about it. And now, look what you're suggesting. How could you, Kit? How could you?"  
  
"Well, what do you want me to think? Your 'It's not the first time' comment? Staying out past midnight with a guy like Ronan?"  
  
Those were the worst words he could have said. Nita was seeing spots, she was so angry she could barely get out the words, "'A guy like Ronan'? What exactly is that supposed to mean? How you ever heard the phrase, 'It takes two to tango?'" Kit indicated he had. "Well, it's true, and he wasn't sexually harassing me."  
  
"It's just that-" Kit started, but was cut off by Nita, who was on a roll,  
  
"And completely regardless, even if he was a sex god," Kit winced at this statement, "have you absolutely no faith in me? How long have you know me? Or moreover, if you'd believe I'd do that, how well do you know me? Obviously not very well."  
  
"I thought I knew you, but I guess not." Kit voice was also quite angry, but not nearly as much as Nita's.  
  
"I guess." Exploding again, perhaps because of something underlaying in Kit's tone, Nita added, "Dang it, Kit! We weren't doing anything. Nothing! Just kissing."  
  
"Just."  
  
"AH! Gee, you'd think in the 3 and 1/2 years I've known you, you'd think you'd notice that I do have a life. I'm not Miss Popular, but I am a hormone-raging female teenager. I'm in high school. I can kiss a guy if I want."  
  
"Oh, Ronan, just let him watch." Kit put on a falsetto voice, mocking her.  
  
Nita wasn't entirely shocked, "So you did, huh?"  
  
"Did what?" But Kit had a terrible poker-face. He gave up and said, "Well, you tapped Ronan."  
  
"You don't even know what was going on! To start with, I was checking to see if he was asleep, I wasn't spying on him. Second, the reason I didn't pull out, was because he was having problems, and needed my help."  
  
"Really. What?" The words sounded as if they'd be compassionate, but his tone was not.  
  
"That's absolutely none of your business."  
  
Kit sighed.  
  
Nita added, "You do know that your blowing this whole thing out of proportion, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Go tell your dad and see what he says."  
  
"You're not my freakin' father! Your my best friend! And I'd like to keep it that way, but right now..." Nita trailed off, but the meaning was clear,  
  
You're acting like a prick.  
  
"Nita, I'm sorry. Truly I am, but come on. I've already apologized. What more do you want?" Suddenly Kit had a crazy desire. She was mad as hell at him already; it couldn't hurt. He didn't think he could take much more of this tip-toeing around the bush. If this fight didn't greatly affect them, what Kit was about to try would. He had to know. Even though he was sure he already knew the answer, and that this was probably the worst time ever for such an action, he had to know.  
  
Nita opened her mouth to answer, but instead, Kit cut her off by covering her mouth with his own.  
  
Only pure shock kept Nita from recoiling immediately. Instead of the green she was accustom too, she was hit with an intense blue. It wasn't sad, or melancholy blue, however, it was a strong, always-there type presence, thoughtful. Nita suddenly realized what was going on and pulled back.  
  
"I...I...I..." Nita stuttered out, for that was all she could manage. She shook her head in despair, backed up, and left.  
  
---  
  
Five reviews, five reviews! 


	11. The Very Long Day

I had a good mind to just abandon the story there, but I figured that not only would I lose every bit of readership on any of my stuff on ff.n, but I'd probably be drug out into the town square and stoned. Sorry it's taken so long. I had a little bit of trouble with this chapter, and I've been very busy with Arsenic and Old Lace, which is taken up my evening (the time I usually try and write.) Most of this has been written in the morning before school when I'm waiting for my older sister (my ride) to get ready. (Though that leaves plenty of time. It takes her at least twenty more minutes than me and I take morning showers.) I still don't have a beta reader; e-mail me if you're interested. Ciffhangers are really a good way to get reviews! Thank you to everyone who reviewed. This chapter doesn't end as wonderful as the last two have (*evil grin*) but I'd still appreciate reviews! Now onward and up— uh, well, for-ward.  
  
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Ronan was worried about leaving Nita to deal with Kit. He could tell that Kit didn't trust him at all, and never had. Ronan didn't even want to know what effect this incident would have on that trust, or rather, lack of it. However, he didn't really have a choice of leaving Nita, but that didn't stop his worrying.  
  
The night had been great. On the walk there, Ronan was able to unload on Nita, something he'd been needing to do. The dance had been a blast and on top of it, Nita had seemed to hit it off with Sonya, which was good. They went to the diner afterwards and talked, small chatter, really, but fine nonetheless. Then they walked back, and, from their grove, went to the moon. It's beauty hit him just as much as it had the first time. He and Nita had kissed, and that wonderful experience of kissing another wizard, so much different than kissing a non-wizard. So much more intense. The color, feeling not only your feelings, but hers as well...  
  
Nita had seemed agitated, upset, mainly just..... distant. He asked her if she was okay. She had answered that she was, and Ronan had sensed no more of her different mood when they'd kissed again. Then Kit had come.  
  
And thus, Ronan worried.  
  
  
  
Stupid, stupid, stupid. Kit told himself over and over. Stupid, stupid.  
  
He couldn't believe he'd kissed her. He couldn't believe it. Why had he?  
  
Curse hormones. A petty crush may have ruined what he already had with Nita. She'd never get over this. She was so ticked last night at his accusations, and her comment that he was a prick...  
  
Okay, so she hadn't actually said that. And, and that annoying little voice in the back of his mind said, if he hadn't been trying to listen in on her inner-thoughts (with no success—all he managed to get were the blatant one like the prick comment), he would have overheard her thinking that. Tomorrow was going to be hell. She wouldn't talk to him anymore than she absolutely had to, and then only in monosyllable. Oh, why had he done it?  
  
Stupid, stupid, stupid, he told himself again.  
  
  
  
Nita groaned as she pulled the covers over her head. She had slept fitfully last night, unable to block her mind of last night's escapades. She especially dreaded getting up for the reason that she would have to face Kit today. It couldn't be avoided; she had promised to meet him at 9:00 at Hudson's Bay, to meet with S'ree. She wasn't sure if she could face him after last night. What on earth had happened?  
  
After she had come back to the moon from walking with Ronan to his house, Kit had jumped on her case. He yelled at her for staying out so late, and accused her of more than she was doing. She had turned on him, saying he had no right to say such a thing, that he was way overreacting. And then, he'd kissed her. That was what threw Nita off the most. She could see where the rest of it came from, even his "possibilities" comment. But this....  
  
Now that she thought about it, he had been acting a bit different lately. But what did it all mean?  
  
Begrudgingly, Nita dragged herself out of bed. There was no way that she'd be able to go back to sleep. Besides, it was almost eight, and she needed a shower; she hadn't taken one last night. She barely remembered what happened after she left the moon, coming home, changing clothes, giving automated responses. But she couldn't begin to tell you what she had said.  
  
She showered, dressed, layering clothes over her one-piece, the least revealing bathing suit she owned and made her way downstairs to find something to eat and to grab something for lunch. Her house was quiet. She poured some cereal, and as she ate it, Dairine came in the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Where are you up to?" she asked.  
  
"What?" asked Nita.  
  
Dairine shook her head and laughed. "What I meant was: What are you up to and where are you going?"  
  
"Oh. Kit and I," unable to contain the disdain on the name 'Kit', "have to check in with S'ree at Hudson Bay."  
  
Dairine apparently was still not fully awake, for she didn't notice the emphasis on 'Kit', as opposed to her usual over-sharpness (Or perhaps, more likely, she noticed, but didn't comment), but said, "Ah. I read the report for that. Let me know how it goes. Want me to tell Mom and Dad?"  
  
Nita nodded, and she finished her cereal. After she grabbed a turkey sandwich, some chips and a bottle of water and tucked them in her pocket of space, she left her house for the ocean.  
  
It was peaceful on the beach. Kit had not arrived yet. Nita stripped her clothes down to her bathing suit and wrapped the spell she and Kit had adapted as a wetsuit, around herself. She waded into the water, mentally adjusting the temperature, pressure, etc., of the suit. It was mid-October, but Nita didn't feel the water's chill as she steadily swan into deeper water.  
  
"Dai shaito, N'hiit!" A large form surfaced, and spoke. {A/N: I'm I spelling this right? I haven't been to my dad's to get my book so I can't check.}  
  
"Dai shaito, S'ree. How are you doing today?"  
  
"Wonderful! Is k!t going to be here soon? I can't wait to try out this spell elsewhere!"  
  
"Yeah, he should be here any—"  
  
"I'm here." said Kit.  
  
"Dai shaito, cousin!" said S'ree as Kit swam up beside them, stopping and treading water. He returned the greeting. Nita angled herself away from him. She had to be here today, but she didn't have to be civil about it. She asked,  
  
"So, what are we doing today?"  
  
"Well, this your spell is having a great effect! The water is clearer, tastes better, and the plant life is springing up!"  
  
"That's great." said Kit. Nita agreed, still slightly ticked at the fact that Kit's spell had worked, and hers hadn't been used. Having Kit not on her good side didn't help any.  
  
"I thought maybe we could try the spell in other places! Are you guys up to it?"  
  
"Yeah." said Kit.  
  
"I don't know the spell. Do you have it?" asked Nita.  
  
Kit muttered something, and groped in the air for a few minutes with one hand, before pulling a page from his pocket of space, and, keeping care to keep it out of the water, handed it to Nita. She shook her hand of water, and took it, thanking him crisply. She read through it a few times, committing it to memory.  
  
They swam. S'ree explained their destinations; they were a few hours swim away. Nita and S'ree talked, Kit and S'ree talked, Kit talked to Nita. But all her answers were brisk, one syllable, two at most. She ran the words the spell over in her head. It was a lot simpler than the one Nita had previously written, and had ended up using on her mother, but now that she was unbiasedly looking at Kit's spell, she could she that his was better for this job than hers was. It was less specific, but not so much that it wouldn't work, and thus, worked better because, not only did it take less power, but have a better return, because it wasn't so specific.  
  
They performed the spell in several places, and by mid-afternoon, Nita was starving, parched, and absolutely exhausted. Though Kit's spell took let power, performing it several times, mixed with fitful sleep the night before, left her very drained.  
  
They stopped in the middle of the Atlantic. Nita and Kit climbed up on an islet they came upon, and ate their lunches while S'ree swam to catch hers.  
  
  
  
Kit was frustrated. Nita had been cold towards him all day. Kit cursed himself again. Nita had barely said ten words to him all day, and all of them had been short and formal. Now they were sitting next to each other eating (Kit had the feeling that this was only because their was no where else to sit; the islet was quite small.) and she was facing away from him in silence. Not to mention she wore the one piece. Why had he done it? It was now obvious that she didn't like him like that. Had she, she wouldn't have walked away last time, and acted like this today. Then again... she had started to kiss him back.  
  
But then she realized that he was Kit, her best friend, not the glorious Ronan.  
  
But maybe she was just acting this way today because she was confused.  
  
Then again maybe not. He needed to talk to her about it. But should he bring up a sore subject now? They weren't doing any more wizardry together today, because neither of them had enough energy to do such, but they did have the swim home. Ah, what the hell. It had to be done sometime.  
  
"Nita..." Kit started.  
  
But at that moment, Nita stood up, and dived into the water, swimming towards S'ree.  
  
  
  
Dairine pounced on Nita the moment she came through the door, asking, "What's going on with Kit?"  
  
"What?" asked Nita, she hoped innocently, but pretty sure she didn't come off as such, and even if she did, that Dairine wouldn't be convinced.  
  
"Don't even pretend. If you won't volunteer the information, I'm not above demanding you in a way that you can't get out of, without telling a lie. Last night, instead of not being completely here because you were floating after being with Ronan, you looked angry and in a state of shock. I wondered why, but didn't even think of Kit until this morning. They way you said his name like it put a bad taste in your mouth. Also, he's not here now. You guys usually go to either his house or your house after you finish a day of working together."  
  
Nita was going to point out that she could have been coming from Kit's house just then, but figured that Dairine would know that she wasn't, and have some thing  
  
to back up her statement. She decided that it wasn't worth it, and instead said, "Yeah, something's up with Kit."  
  
She paused and Dairine prompted, "Well...."  
  
"Are Mom and Dad home?" she asked first.  
  
"No, they went grocery shopping. Now finish!"  
  
Nita sighed and said, "He kissed me."  
  
Dairine blinked a few times and asked, "Come again?"  
  
"I'd better start at the beginning."  
  
"I'd better sit down." Dairine remarked.  
  
Several minutes later, they were sitting at the kitchen table, and Nita had begun to relay the event of the night before.  
  
"....so, since we had time before I had to go home, Ronan and I went to waste time on the moon. We talked for awhile, and then we kissed... this was when Kit appeared. I told him to wait and I'd be back in a few minutes. I walked Ronan back to his house, and then went back to the moon. Kit had his thoughts somewhat in order by this time, and jumped my case. He basically accused me of sleeping with Ronan, and I went off on him. Then...he kissed me. You were right about shocked. I remember coming home, and I remember waking up in the morning. The eleven hours between that are lost on me."  
  
Dairine looked slightly in shock herself. "But...why?"  
  
Nita laughed, "If you figured that out, let me know will you? Until then, I don't know what I'm going to do, how Kit and I are going to get over this, or even if we will, and what I'm going to say to him when I see him."  
  
Suddenly, Dairine's face lit up. "I have an idea... I can talk to him. Next time I see him, I'll innocently bring it up, act like I haven't talked to you. Edge it out of him, and report it back you."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Nita agreed.  
  
—  
  
Ahhh!! So many exclamation points this chapter! S'ree talks in them, for the majority, in the book, so I tried, but it's driving me crazy, 'cause I can't stand it when an author has all the characters talk in them every sentence, for all the story. I had a judge at the tournament this weekend that wrote all of her judge's sheets in exclamation marks. "Great eye contact and gestures! Your speech really sucked though! Perhaps it would have been better if it actually made sense!" So, when I do this the whole S'ree convos, I feel like such a hypocrite! AH! I know this chapter isn't great, but I was having a hard time writing it. I know I skipped over a lot of the spell stuff and time with S'ree, but I wanted to place empathies on the Kit/Nita thing. I'm trying to decide whether or not Nita should tell Ronan, and A) His reaction if she does, B) His reaction when he find out that she didn't tell him, or C) how to keep his oblivious to the fact. What will happen? Read the next chapter, or possibly the one after that, to find out. (And review!!) 


	12. New Friend

Nita saw Kit walking towards her in the hallway after lunch the next day. What was he doing here? This was the high school wing of the school. He had to be looking for her. Quickly she ducked into the bathroom. She leaned against the wall, waiting for Kit to pass. She was startled by the sound of crying.  
  
Oh, great, she thought, I've stumbled in on one of the preps' weekly sob sessions because the flavor of the week broke up with them.  
  
But this was different. There was no gaggle of girls surrounding the crier, assuring her that "He's a jerk anyway." Nita slowly made her way over to the girl sitting in the corner with her head rested against her knees. Against her better judgement, Nita asked, "What's wrong?"  
  
The girl looked up. Her hazel eyes were blood-shot and puffy, her blonde hair hung in straggles around her face. A mask of confusion came on her face, and she asked, "Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Nita Callahan. Are you okay?"  
  
The girl laughed bitterly. "That'd be the day."  
  
"What's wrong?" Nita repeated, resigning to be the sympathetic ear again, "Anything you want to talk about?"  
  
"He had to pick the worst time, didn't he?" she shook her head.  
  
"Who?" asked Nita.  
  
"My father. We just moved here. Today is my first day here. I don't think he realized what day it is, or if he did, he didn't care."  
  
Nita was puzzled. It was October 15th. She couldn't remember today being anything.  
  
The girl noticed her puzzled look, and said, "My mother died ten years ago on October 15th."  
  
A tremble passed through Nita's body as she remembered how close she'd come to losing her mother last month. How any day now, Nita could wake up and find her mother gone.  
  
It was her greatest fear, greater than that of the Lone Power, that her mother's cancer would return.  
  
The girl took in her silence and said, "I'm sorry. Off loading my problems on complete stranger."  
  
Nita said softly, "My mother is dying." The bell sounded, drowning out her words.  
  
"What?" asked the girl.  
  
Nita repeated, tears welling in her eyes, "My mother is dying. Brain cancer. She's in remission now, but the doctor are sure it's only temporary. They say a year or two, at most."  
  
"I'm so sorry. My mother had a heart attack. They discovered she was a cardiomyopathic too late. I was only four."  
  
"That's terrible." said Nita. The tears were following freely now. Near girl heard the tardy bell rang. "I can hardly imagine losing my mom now. To think of not having her as I grew up..."  
  
"My father was never the best substitute mother, either." said the girl. "He-"  
  
They were interrupted as Dr. Turmen, the assistant superintendent, walked in.  
  
"Girls!" she said sharply, "Why are you not in class? DO you have a pass?"  
  
Nita admitted that neither of them had a pass, and hadn't noticed the bell had rung.  
  
"You both have tardies." she stated plainly.  
  
"Please, Mrs. Turmen," Nita said quietly, "My mother is dying as we speak. Hers died ten years ago today. Please, give us a break."  
  
Dr. Turmen's face softened in a mixture of sympathy and pity. She paused for a moment before saying, "Alright. Only this once. I'll write you passes. I know Nita, but I need to know your name and both of your classes and teacher."  
  
"I'm in English with Hesstle." said Nita.  
  
"Angie—Angela— Zeen. I'm in Algebra I...I can't remember the teacher's name. Wait, it's on my schedule. Sorry," the girl, Angie, apparently, apologized, digging through her bag, "It's my first day here. Here. It's Smith."  
  
"Alright, Nita and Angie. I'll give you fifteen minutes to freshen up, but by five 'til one, I expect you both in class, agreed?"  
  
Both Nita and Angie thanked Dr. Turmen, and she left.  
  
Nita slashed her face with cold water, trying to conceal the fact that she had been crying. It didn't help much.  
  
"Here," said Angie, offering Nita some concealer, after using it herself, "Works wonders."  
  
Nita had never really worn make-up. A little, especially recently on her dates with Ronan, but rarely more than perhaps some lipstick. She also never had had close girlfriends to experiment with make-up with. She'd never stayed up all night at a sleepover, doing makeovers on each other. Kit was really the only friend she'd ever had, and something just didn't apply when your best friend was a guy. If they were even still friends.  
  
So when Nita nodded at Angie, it was a bit of a new experience when, with expert's grace, Angie quickly applied concealer around Nita's eyes.  
  
"There. All better," she said, "No one will figure out that we were both late because we were spilling not only tears, but our problems to a person we'd known not even five minutes. I'm Angie, by the way."  
  
The current Angie, hiding behind a face that concealed so much pain for so long, was a complete one-eighty from the crying girl huddled in the corner of the bathroom ten minutes ago.  
  
"Hi. I'm Nita. Today's your first day, you said?"  
  
"Yes. I moved here from Illinois."  
  
It seemed odd to be talking so casually after their crying session.  
  
"We had better get to class."  
  
"Yeah, we got one pass. I doubt we could wrangle another."  
  
They parted ways, Nita to English, and Angie to Algebra I.  
  
After English, Nita head to Biology, her second last class of the day. There would be Geometry to suffer through after that.  
  
She groaned when she entered the classroom. Spread on the desks, were an array of items and chemicals. She'd forgotten that they would be testing for carbon compounds: carbohydrates, lipids, sugar, and starch, today. It wasn't that Nita disliked labs, it was just that she had a horrible lab partner. A majority of the time, Nita's lab partner was "sick" and when she did come, she wouldn't help, and Nita ended up doing the lab on her own anyway.  
  
But today was different. As soon as Nita sat down and class started, the teacher announced, "We have a new student!" {A/N: Guess who?}  
  
"This is Angela-"  
  
"Angie." said, if you hadn't figured it out, Angie.  
  
"Angie Zeen. Angie, why don't you take a seat by Nita, the third table in the second row."  
  
Needless to say, both girls were thrilled at the prospect. After the teacher explained the lab, they got to work, mincing potatoes and mixing them and everything else—cornstarch, Sweet-n-Low, honey, butter, lettuce, apple juice,oil— with water as well as they could, and then mixing in the chemical agents.  
  
"Was the Sudan Red III for carbohydrates or lipids?" asked Angie.  
  
"I think carbohydrates. The blue stuff is for lipids."  
  
"Which one?" There were two bottles of blue liquid, Beurient (sp) Regent and Benedict's Solution.  
  
"Um... the blue one?" suggested Nita, not very helpful.  
  
Nita and Angie turned in their lab papers, hoping they'd used the right chemicals to tell for the right stuff.  
  
"Nothing blew up, at least." joked Angie, "That's a step forward."  
  
Nita laughed, then said, "If you don't have anything to do after school—"  
  
"Oh, please!" said Angie. "Anything to get away from my father."  
  
"You could come to my house. I'm sure my parents would mind. They'll be tickled at the prospect of me having a new friend." said Nita dryly.  
  
"Are you sure they won't mind?"  
  
"Positive."  
  
"Okay." agreed Angie.  
  
"Meet me at the mascot statue after school and we'll walk to my house."  
  
"The what statue?" asked Angie, puzzled.  
  
"Oh, you wouldn't know that would you... It's bulldog—well, it's supposed to be anyway— it's right outside the front door, a little to the left. It's very hard to miss."  
  
After an extremely long geometry period—the teacher had spent the entire class time reviewed elementary stuff Nita had down pat, for their upcoming test—Nita walked outside, taking care to avoid Kit. Nita was almost to the statue when, who do you think she saw....but Kit.  
  
She thought of the irony of it, and what she had told Ronan.  
  
"Yeah, but its hard to avoid your best friend. Especially when he can get into your mind."  
  
She hadn't even thought of that. Oh, great. He had probably heard every obscenities she had sent his way since last night.  
  
"Hey, Nita!" called Angie. Kit whipped his head around to look at her. Nita purposely didn't look at him, and instead, walked over to Angie, and instantly became deeply engrossed in conversation. She and Angie began walking towards Nita's house.  
  
Kit sighed deeply. This morning, Nita had dodged into a bathroom after she'd seen him. Now, she made a deliberate point of not seeing him, and walking away talking to some girl he'd never seen before. He really needed to talk to Nita. He wasn't sure what he was going to say, but he should see if there was anyway in the world she'd forgive him before he tried extremely hard to explain. But how could he talk to her if she kept shirking him? He'd have to catch her so she couldn't get away. He'd get to her house and talk to her when she couldn't run.  
  
"Nita! We have a situation! Look out the window!" called Dairine. Nita looked. Kit was making his way up the driveway.  
  
"Crap!" said Nita out loud. Then, to Dairine,  
  
~"Talk to him. I'm not hear. Got it?"~  
  
~"Right."~ replied Dairine.  
  
"Who is that?" asked Angie.  
  
"My best friend. We're kind of on the outs right now and I really don't want to talk to him yet. Dari will keep him out." Nita explained.  
  
"What happened?" asked Angie, adding, "Just curious."  
  
Nita took a deep breath. Here she was explaining it yet again, "He caught me and boyfriend making out, and chewed me for it, and accused me of sleeping with him."  
  
"Guys can be such jerks at time." Angie commented.  
  
"Oh, you haven't heard the real kicker yet. I was yelling at him for suggesting that, and then he kissed me."  
  
"He what?" asked Angie, shocked.  
  
"Yeah, that was about my reaction. I had to work with him Saturday—we'd promised to help someone out—and I said about ten words to him all day. I've been avoiding him since. I have no clue what to do."  
  
"I may not be the bet person to offer advice in this situation, but I'll try. First of all, do you think of him in that way at all?"  
  
Nita pondered for a minute, then answered, "No. Not in the least bit."  
  
"Okay. Do you still want to be friends with him?"  
  
"Yes." said Nita without hesitation this time. Regardless of everything, he was still Kit. Her Kit. Her first, and really only, close friend.  
  
"Can you get over this? I mean, can you look at him and not always immediately think of the time he kissed you, and how he may feel now, et cetera?"  
  
Nita thought longer this time. Could she? Could she ever think of him the same? Would he ever be "just plain old Kit" or would that lingering memory always be just around the corner. Finally she answered, "Eventually. I mean, we've been through a lot and I wouldn't want to throw it all away, even though it probably will be in the back of my mind, for awhile, at least."  
  
"Well, then, I would let him talk to you. Don't confront him; let him come to you and explain. Give him a chance. Tell him what you told me: That you don't think of him like that, but you want to remain friends, and all that you said about forgetting this."  
  
Nita considered this. It was good advice, she decided.  
  
  
  
"Nope. She's busy." Dairine told Kit.  
  
"Oh, come on. I need to talk to Nita. Is she really busy, or did she tell you to tell me that?" asked Kit.  
  
Instead of answering, Dairine said, "What is going on with you two?"  
  
"No fair answering questions with questions. Answer mine and I'll maybe answer yours."  
  
"Answer mine and I'll answer yours." Dairine retorted. "What do you want more, to keep your and Nita's problem—that I may be able to help with— a secret, or find out if Nita's available?"  
  
Kit sighed. Dairine always had a way of getting what she wanted.  
  
"I...kinda caused a problem."  
  
Kit breathed in deeply and spilled to Dairine, who stood with a sightly—was it amused?— look on her face.  
  
"So basically, I've screwed our friendship,as well as partnership, right into the ground. Even if I do apologize and promise we'll only be friends, she'll never forgive me."  
  
"Not necessarily." said Dairine slowly, as if she were concocting this plan on the spot, "I'll get Nita to tell me this, and get her talk on the situation with you. She doesn't have to know I talked to you. Then, I'll tell you what she said and, if the results are favorable, then you can talk to her."  
  
"If she doesn't?" Kit questioned, thinking, which I'm sure she won't.  
  
"Then I try to get her to." Dairine smiled. It was slightly disturbing, "I have my ways."  
  
"It's worth a shot. Will you go talk to her now? I'll wait here, or pop home and then back here, then talk to her."  
  
"No can do. I told you the truth. Nita's busy."  
  
"With who?" Kit muttered under his breath, "Ronan?"  
  
===  
  
Aren't new characters fun? Angie's not very developed yet, because I wanted to end the chapter on this note. (He he he!) But she'll have more depth, promise. Lady Kni— I think I'll just call you LKK. But, actually I already had that chapter written (I actually wrote it before I finished 8 and 9), but I'll be good for you self esteem and say I used your idea. Or perhaps just say Great Minds Think Alike.  
  
I need to go get some more tylonol (I just got spacers and my mouth hurts. Owww...). If you want me to update.....  
  
Review! Review! Review! 


	13. The Secret

Thank you, everyone for the reviews! I was in a bad mood the other day, I got on here and read them, and they made me feel better! I planned to have this chapter up earlier, but then on Sunday the 27th, I found out that the Bible Bowl (A scholar/scholastic bowl type competition about assigned chapters of the bible.) was that Friday, and we'd just gotten the paperwork on it. So, I had five days to basically memorize Revelations 9-11, and spent the precious free time I've had working on that, and not writing, and you guys are the ones who suffer.   
  
I've also been turned on to the wonderful world of songfics! I've written and posted a Tamora Pierce on and am planning on writing a YW one as soon as I get all the correct words to the song. Enjoy this chapter and review if you ever want me to update again! :P  
-  
~"He's gone." ~ Dairine announced in Nita's mind.   
  
~"Tell me later what he said."~ Nita replied.  
  
~"Okay."~ Dairine agreed.  
  
"He's left." Nita told Angie, pointing out the window, wondering why Kit was walking home, rather than just going home.   
  
"What?" Angie asked, snapping out of her glazed look.  
  
"Kit's gone."  
  
"No, I..." Angie started, but she was interrupted.  
  
"We're home!" called Nita's mother and father.  
  
  
  
After introductions were made, excluding when Nita and Angie first met, simply stating that they were lab partners in Biology, Nita's mother asked Angie to stay for dinner. As Nita had suspected, her mother was tickled (Was it just Nita, or was her mother turning pink around the edges?) that Nita'd made a new friend, a female at that.  
  
"We're just having spaghetti and a salad, but if you would like to stay, you're more than welcome."  
  
"Thank you Mrs. Cal-"  
  
"Betty, please."   
  
"Betty," Angie said, with a little difficulty. She just didn't look like a Betty. (A/N: No offense to any Betty's. This was just inspired by a conversation I had at camp.) When Angie pictured a Betty, she thought if an old cafeteria lady with a beehive hairdo. "I need to call my dad, but I'm sure he won't mind." Or care, she added to herself.  
  
"Go ahead, dear," Nita's mother told Angie, "The phone's right over there. Nita, come in and help me with the salad."  
  
Angie made her way over the phone and dialed in the number to her new home.  
  
"Hello?" asked the voice that picked up in two rings. The female voice.  
  
Angie was startled. "Um... Is Raymond there?" she managed to ask.  
  
"I think you have the wrong number."   
  
"Oh, sorry." said Angie as she breathed a sigh of relief. She'd rather she was a dunce that had made a mistake dialing a new number than her father to have someone over. It would have been a complete world-shatterer. Her father never had anyone over to his house. He rarely was even at his house.  
  
Angie stuck her head back into the kitchen as Nita's mother was saying to Nita, "Winter tomatoes are never very good, but these are the best I could get for the season."  
  
"I dialed the wrong number." Angie informed Nita, "I've got it written down somewhere in my bag. I'll be right back."  
  
"Okay." said Nita.  
  
Angie climbed the stairs to Nita's room, her thoughts drifting, yet again, to why her father had really decided to move here, despite the fact that she was glad to have met Nita. As she turned the bedroom's door handle, she wondered the same thing had been wondering since she found out the answer that she didn't want to a question she never thought she'd be asking. Why, after he had informed her they were moving, she hadn't thought through the possibilities or consequences before she'd...  
  
"Nita, I'm sorry," said a voice the moment Angie opened the door. "I didn't.... you're not Nita." It was the same boy Nita had pointed out from the window-her friend that she was having a problem with. Kit, she thought his name was.  
  
"You noticed that too?" she asked, feeling like being sarcastic. She didn't know why Kit was here, or how he got in, but she intended to find out.  
  
"Who... what... " stuttered Kit.  
  
"Where, when, why." finished Angie.  
  
"Who are you?" Kit finally managed.  
  
"Okay, you broke into Nita's room, and you're asking me who I am?"  
  
"Yeah, but I'm..." Kit started before Angie cut him off.  
  
"Kit. Yes, I know. Nita told me." Angie answered to Kit's questioning look. "I don't know how or when you got here, but I'm assuming you want to talk to Nita?"   
  
Kit nodded, wondering who the heck the girl was. He was pretty sure she was the one that Nita was walking with at school earlier, but he still didn't know who that was.  
  
He'd worked up the nerve to talk to Nita and decided he'd better talk to her now before he'd lost it again, even though Dairine hadn't talked to her yet. If Dairine talked to her and Nita hated his guts, then he knew he'd never get up enough courage to talk to her. He'd almost tapped into her mind, but was too afraid of what she was thinking about him. I'd be best to hear what Nita thought from her, to his face. So, he'd come to her house. Foolishly, he'd decided to go to her room, because he figured that where she'd be and if she wasn't, she'd come in eventually. Now, that didn't seem to be as good of an idea as it did fifteen minutes ago. What if this girl had been in the room when he got there, rather than a few moments afterwards? Kit didn't want to think about it.  
  
"Fine." said the girl, standing up from where she had been digging through a backpack. She held a scrap of paper in her hand. She added slowly, "I'll... go tell Nita.... that you're here."   
  
She left and Kit sat down on the bed to await Nita's wrath.  
  
"Um, Nita?" Angie called from right outside the kitchen door. "Can you c'mere for a sec?"  
  
Nit put down her knife and came out of the kitchen, wondering what Angie wanted.   
  
"Kit's upstairs." Angie murmured hurriedly.  
  
"He's what?" Nita asked, only slightly shocked.  
  
"Yeah, I went in your room to get the phone number, and just when I opened the door he said, 'Nita, I'm sorry. I didn't.... you're not Nita.' I don't know when or how he got there, but I told him I'd come tell you."  
  
Nita sighed. "I'd better go get rid of him. I'll promise to meet him later, and maybe he'll leave."  
  
~"Kit, what the heck are you doing in my room? Go home."~ Nita said in mindspeak as she climbed the stairs. She really didn't want to talk to him face to face yet.  
  
~"But I need to talk to you."~  
  
~"Later. Not now. It's almost time for dinner, and I have company."~  
  
~"Who is she?"~  
  
~"Angie? A friend."~  
  
Kit was unsure what to think. Nita had a new friend he didn't know about? She wasn't really the type to go find a new "best friend" to rub his face in the day after they'd have a fight, but when had Nita become friends with an Angie? Not before their fight, that he knew of, and she surely would have told him.  
  
When Kit didn't say anything, Nita said, ~"Look, I'll meet you later somewhere. I will talk to you. But, not now."~  
  
~"Okay."~ Kit breathed an internal sigh of relief. ~"Is ten okay?"~  
  
Nita thought. ~"Yes, I think."~  
  
Kit started to tell her their common meeting spot, ~"Okay, Ten at the moo-"~ Until, that it, their last encounter at the moon popped into his mind. ~"Make that ten in my backyard."~ He finished, failing to think of another meeting place.  
  
"Alright. Now will please go before someone gets curios?"  
  
  
Angie sighed. Not that she had expected anymore, but it was still slightly disappointing to get her father's voice mail when she called her house at 6:45 P.M. on only the fourth day she'd lived in this state. He was "trying to get settled at work", as she was sure he would tell her if she asked. But she was even more sure that this wouldn't be a one-time occasion. She sighed again, and left a message saying, "It's me, I met a friend at school today, and her parents invited me to stay for dinner. I'll be home by ten." Click.  
  
  
"So, Angie, when did you move here?" asked Nita's mother over plates of spaghetti, salad, and garlic toast.  
  
Angie washed down a bite of bread with a gulp of milk before answering, "We left Friday morning, and drove to Hempstead from Illinois. We got in late Friday night, slept all Saturday, and unpacked all Sunday."  
  
"Why'd you move in the middle of the school year?" asked the ever-tactful Dairine.  
  
"Uh...." Angie thought quickly. She didn't want to spill her full story to Nita's entire family. Heck, she didn't want to spill her full story to herself. "My father's job got transferred." At least that's not a complete lie. she added to herself.  
  
"That's gotta suck." commented Dairine.  
  
"You have no idea." Angie changed the subject quickly, "So, Harry, where do you work?"   
  
  
Nita wondered slightly why Angie had been so fast to change to subject earlier. She pushed this out of her mind as she and Angie climbed the stairs after helping clean up after dinner. "I'll be right there." said Nita, headed to the bathroom, as Angie went to Nita's room.  
  
This time, there was no Kit waiting to pounce on her. Angie sank on to Nita's bed, deep in thought, deep in angst. Should she tell Nita?   
  
How could she of in the first place?   
  
Angie barely noticed as the tears welded up in her eyes and ran down her face. Why had she?  
  
"Hey, Angie," said Nita, coming in the room, "Do-what's wrong?"  
  
Angie made up her mind.  
  
"Um, Nita, I... I lied earlier," confessed Nita's newfound friend.  
  
"What?" asked Nita, "When?"  
  
"Twice, actually. We didn't just move her because of my dad's job. He actually got it transferred after he decided to move. And... earlier at the school, Mom wasn't the only reason I was crying earlier. It was also something else I found out...."  
  
Nita nodded encouraging at her, and Angie said,  
  
"I'm pregnant." 


	14. Angie's Story

Glad I threw all you for a loop! I knew no one would expect that. However, Wandering Blue, don't make any assumpation too quick (and that's all I'll fore-shadow for now). I decided to post this now because I have lots aof free time and wrote the next 4 chapters because ym school's been cancels two days (last Friday, and today, Monday.) because we've had bomb threats, so I've nothing better to do. If I get at least 90 reviews, I'll post again this weekend!  
  
Angie took a deep breath and continued, "I already told you my mom died when I was five. My father...never was the best substitute mother. Then again, he was not even a good father. He's a workaholic and always has been. He was also pretty strict. I had to have all A's, do all my chores, which was basically to take care of myself, and clean any mess I made because he was gone so often, and to be home by 9:30 every night. I had a few girls I hung out with at school, but we were never really close or even fairly good friends, so the curfew thing wasn't really a problem."  
  
Nita remembered her own lonely days before she met Kit as she sat there, slightly in shock. Then she remembered what he had done. This moment, not even completely realized by Nita herself, was when she decided to completely forgive him. She couldn't imagine facing the rest of her life without him only a footstep, a mindtouch, or a word in Speech away.  
  
"Until I met Gary." continued Angie. "He was like a lighthouse in the middle of the stormy sea of my life, if you'll pardon the dumb metaphor."  
  
Nita smiled at Angie's attempt to lighten the mood a bit.  
  
"In the early spring of last year, I was double cast as Beatrice and he as Benedict, in my high school's production of Much Ado About Nothing. See, they try to double cast upperclassmen and lowerclassmen for leads, to give more opportunity. We were both freshman. Soon...and I know this sounds cheesier than the lighthouse thing, but it wasn't too long before there was more to the kissing scene than just acting."  
  
Nita raised her eyebrows and Angie started to laugh for a moment before a strange look came over her face and she sobered.  
  
"I'll tell you about it sometime, but I'm afraid if I don't get this out, I may not be able to, ya know?"  
  
"Yeah, go ahead. Sorry."  
  
"Ah, na. Anyway, I began spending most my time with Gary. He didn't have the best family life either. Rather than long afternoons spent alone at my house, I was at his, or he was with me at mine. Or, we were rehearsing together, or going to the mall, or, occasionally, even studying. I had to be home every night by 9:30, my father always called to check, but rarely was he actually home. Gary often stayed late. My dad didn't really take much notice, until Gary wanted to take me out for my birthday, which is April 26.  
  
"I wanted to stay out later than 9:30; we were going to go out for a nice dinner and then to go see this theatre troupe that was in town that we had heard was really good. You should have seen my father's face when I told him I was going out! It was priceless, and though he at first refused, I got him to agree to 10:30, just this once.  
  
"It was wonderful, but there was one downfall. My father started keeping a closer eye on me and on the time I spent with Gary. It got so I was to be home alone by 9:30 and he was actually there to check several times a week; though I did get him to agree to a 10:00 curfew for Friday and Saturday nights.  
  
"He told me in June that he thought I was spending too much time with Gary, that we were getting too close in too short a time. I suppose it was true." Angie added, almost as an afterthought. "But, when you've had almost no love or affection since your childhood, you cling to any strand of it you can get.  
  
"Anyway, my father demanded that I see less of him. I refused, he didn't give in. I was restricted to going out with Gary four weekday evenings, and two weekend evenings, a month. This didn't go over too well, but since it was summer, we spent the days together, and my father was none the wiser for a while.  
  
"When he finally figured out what we were doing, it was late July. Actually, I remember precisely when it was. On July 29, my father came home from work at noon. The computers at his work had all crashed and they made everyone leave so that the techies could work on them undisturbed. I wasn't home. Gary and I finally arrived to my house a few hours later, and he swept me into a kiss before he had to hurry home. Guess who, to both our astonishment, appeared in the doorway? Needless to say, it wasn't pretty."  
  
"I can imagine." Nita interrupted dryly, again thinking of Kit.  
  
"He forbade me to see Gary anymore, period. That didn't settle well at all. I told him that he had no right, and that there was no way he could forbid us from seeing each other. The next day, I found out soon, he checked into to getting his job transferred.  
  
"Dairine asked me why we moved in the middle of the year. He tried to get his job transferred as soon as possible, but apparently the guy that my father ending up replacing was retiring at the end of the year, and had, like, two months of vacation time he'd saved up over the years, so that he could leave in October and continue to be paid until the end of the year. His job still needed done, however, so the company had my father take this guy's job.  
  
"A week after the incident with Gary and my father, my father told me we were moving here in October. I was incredibly upset. I ran to Gary and he was just as upset as me. We continued stealing moments away together, spending them as if they were our last. I'm not exactly sure how we ending up.... Now, I can't figure why I even did. I guess, a lot of it was to spite my father. It was a rash decision, but in that moment... Well, it's hard to make the right decision or to think things through.  
  
"We didn't use protection. We weren't exactly planning on... sleeping together, and we weren't responsible. I loved him, and with the knowledge that we'd be separated.... It didn't seem like quite as bad of an idea then as it does now.  
  
"We only slept together once. In the weeks afterwards, we still spent as much time as we could together without my father's acknowledgement. It was easier once school started again, and he was really all I concentrated on. I didn't even notice that I skipped my period in September. When it didn't come in October....  
  
"I bought a home pregnancy test. It came out positive. I hadn't told anyone else, not even Gary. I haven't talked to him since I'd found out." Angie sighed in distress. "I don't know what to do." 


	15. Again

Many questions popped into Nita's mind while Angie talked. She refrained from asking any during this, knowing the need pour out a story interrupted. Now Angie paused. Silently, Nita passed Angie a box of Kleenex, trying to organize her thoughts.  
  
"I'm sorry I lied." said Angie. "It's just..."  
  
"No," Nita cut her off and said, almost automatically, "Don't worry about it. It couldn't have been easy to tell."  
  
"But it feels good once you get it over with." Nita nodded her agreement. Angie sighed again. "I'm sure you have questions. Might as well ask them."  
  
The questions jumbled around in Nita head. Surprising was the one that came out, "So, you're a sophomore?"  
  
Angie laughed. "After that, this is what you ask? Yes, I am."  
  
"When... when did you find out you were pregnant?"  
  
"Saturday. I haven't gotten up the courage to tell Gary. I'm not sure how he'll react."  
  
"You need to tell him. And you have to tell your father."  
  
Angie bit her lip. "I.. I can't. He'll disown me. He told me so once." Reading Nita's mind, she said, "I know that there's a difference between angry words and what a parent will actually do when faced with the decision and it must be difficult for you to grasp, having great parent's like yours, but...He's a businessman, not a parent, and he never goes back on anything he's said. He'd do it."  
  
Nita knew she was blessed to have her mom and dad. Unfortunately, over four years of wizardry had exposed her to pain and hardship, maturing her far beyond her years. Angie's predicament wasn't as hard for Nita to grasp as Angie thought it might be.  
  
"The only problem is," started Angie, "that not only will I start to show eventually, but I'll need a obstetrician and I can't afford one. Besides, I'll have to have an adult to sign release and stuff because I'm a minor. And what about after I have the baby?"  
  
***  
  
Kit paced the small patio behind his house. He came out at quarter 'til ten.  
  
Then it was ten till.  
  
Now it was five till.  
  
Where was she? It wasn't like Nita to be late. This couldn't be a good sign. Kit continued pacing at the long hand of his watch pointed straight up to the twelve.  
  
***  
  
"It's ten!" exclaimed Angie, sitting straight up, interrupting their talk. "I was supposed to be home at ten!"  
  
"Come on, my Dad'll drive you." Nita and Angie, who hurriedly gathered her belongings, ran downstairs to beg off the ride. Angie was hoping that her father was working extremely late, and, thinking her separate from Terry, wouldn't call exactly at ten. Nita worried that she'd be late meeting Kit. It didn't even occur to her to tell him via mindtouch that she'd be late.  
  
  
  
Nita's dad slid into the driveway of Angie's new home. Angie graciously thanked him for the ride, and for the dinner, and bid Nita goodbye, silently rejoicing for once that her father was a workaholic. His car was not in the drive.  
  
As soon as Nita and her dad pulled out on the road, Nita apologized, and explained that she had something she had to do. With a small pop, she disappeared from the passenger seat of the blue Lumina and appeared next to a slightly irked Kit. She apologized hurriedly for her tardiness.  
  
  
  
Now that she was standing next to him, Kit's nerve began to slip away. Steeling himself, he suggested they sit down. They sat next to each other on the wicker patio loveseat.  
  
It was awkward, their sitting hip to hip after the incident. However, Kit took a deep breath and said,  
  
"I'm sorry Nita. I blew it— I know I did."  
  
He cut her off as she began to say something, and for the second time this evening, Nita resigned herself to listen to someone, knowing that her interruption might cause them to loose their nerve and stop the revelation of their tale.  
  
Kit went on to tell her that recently, he'd begin to feel differently around her. She had to admire his courage. She'd never be able to admit it if she had begun to take a closer notice to some of the thing he stated— the little black skirt, what he called the graceful curve of her neck, little things like the expression on her face when she was confused or angry, to how she twirled a lock of hair around her finger when she was deep in thought. She'd never confess out loud half the stuff he told her. Honestly may be the best policy, but to Nita, not telling something wasn't exactly a lie. Kit, very much to his credit, seemed to take honest to its fullest right now.  
  
He concluded, "I don't want to be cliché and say that if I can't be your love, I'll settle for your friend at the least, but I don't think I could do that."  
  
Nita was horrified. What was he suggesting?  
  
"I... I don't think I really love you Nita. Not in that way. It was a crazy urge, a racing hormonal surge. I don't think it was affection." Kit sounded awfully unsure of himself, but Nita was overjoyed. For a few minutes, she had been afraid he would tell her that he couldn't handle being just friends with her. Now it was her turn to talk.  
  
"Kit... ever since Friday night, I've been over and over myself over this, and... I don't care for you in that way. I trust you with my life, and would give mine for yours, and I.. I do love you. But, not in that way. I'm sorry, but I... I don't. When you... you kissed me, I sensed your blue, but there was none of the sense of..of rightness and compatibility that—" Nita broke off, not wanting to voice the remainder of the thought, that there is when I kiss Ronan.  
  
"Kit," Nita started again, remembering something she told Angie, "We've been through a lot worse than this. We can get though this—together with both our efforts. It seems odd— after our Ordeal, after the Song of Twelve, after chasing Dari across the universe, after my mother— to have a... a normal problem like this. I can't get through the rest of my life without you."  
  
Emotionally strong anchor Kit had tears welling up in his eyes. It was getting to be such a familiar feeling to Nita today that she barely noticed that her own eyes were the same and that she had salty trails on her cheeks. They embraced, all tension between them melting for some reason known only to the Powers. 


	16. Powers I

I wasn't planning on posting this so soon, but I got on and read all my wonderful reviews (I'm not sure if being a drug is a good thing or a bad thing...) and decided since you guys deserved this for pushing my reveiws over 100.

Aye! The Powers may be a bit OCC (okay, a **lot** OCC) in this chapter, but Diane doesn't really get to heavily into them. I've personified them kind of like the ancient Greek or Roman gods, because it suits my purposes and I wasn't really sure how to handle them. My justification is: A Power is smart, in control, and outstanding. The Powers collectively, however, are confused, arrogant, ignorant, and unagreeable. :D

I know this is extremely short, especially compared to some of my more recent chapters. I am forewarning everyone that the Power meeting updates (which will be placed at strategic intervals throughout the story) will probably all be short, but will hopefully lend an insight to what is going on in the story and way. Most will be better and more revealing than this.

—

Unknown to Nita, unknown to Kit, unknown to Angie, unknown to Ronan, and even unknown to Dairine, a dire assembly was also taking gathering at this moment.

The Powers were assembling. A full assembly of Power hadn't taken place in many millennia. Smaller ones, yes, but not the large one that was now meeting. Powers of every strength and subject had been called for their input on the fate of the key to the future.

While waiting for the meetings to start, the Emotion Powers, who are, alas, lesser Powers in charge of the keeping positive aspects of emotion of those in their care, were having a heated argument.

"We had to have her meet the vessel somehow!" exclaimed the Power in charge of love.

"But, Quintin, surely there was a different way. You can't trifle with mortals' hearts and affections that way What if it backfired? What if she fell in love with him back? Luc's heir has his own role to play!" exclaimed Joyce, seemingly out of character in her role as the Power of Happiness.

{A/N Why is the Power of love call Quintin? He, you'll find out— I thought it was a rather cute play on sounds myself.} 

"I'll handle it." said Quintin, slightly impish.

"Don't!" warned Mercy, the Power of compassion., knowing Quintin's way of "handling" things.

"I won't." protested Quintin. 

"You can't keep solving problems by giving mortals hormonal surges!" scolded Joyce. "It's not fair!"

"I wasn't the one who made up the assignment; I just carried it out. I only have so much to work with here!" retorted Quintin.

"He does have a point, unfortunately." Wit commented, feeling slightly irked, despite his nature, as he knew the feeling of having little or no control over certain things. The Power of humor is a necessity, but doesn't really have a lot of influence in these such matters.

Always the peacemaker (being the Power of agreement will do that to you), Harman offered, "They wouldn't have given you an assignment if they knew you couldn't carry it out, and, being Great Powers, must have known how you would have gone about carrying it out."

"But why give _you _the assignment?" Joyce directed at Quintin.

"Why don't you ask them?" Quintin shot back dryly, nodding as Mike approached them. 

(A/N: Remember him from the first book? Duane never went into detail about who he really was, so I figured I'd take care of that.)

He was looking very hassled, in trying to organize all of this. Mike was like a secretary, receptionist, and public relations specialist all in one for the Powers. No Power really envied his job. Other than having to know absolutely inane facts such as how many shapes each Power had taken in the last century and what effect each shape had on the given universe, he also had to make sure everyone was on the same page and happy about it. This was not to mention the fact that he was one of few that was actually on discussion bases with the Lone Power, having to keep track of him as well.

"Let's save this spat for another time chaps, They are coming soon and we don't have much time."

Sighing in annoyance, Joyce stopped her objurgation of Quintin, as he sighed in relief at not having to defend his actions (though he knew they were right!). The Great Powers slowly gathered, each taken the place assigned to Them by Time. Shortly, a perfect half-circle was formed in front of the lesser powers. That is, almost perfect. One spot stood open, empty of its appointed inhabitant. The Lone Power was the only missing from the assemblage.

The voice of one Power broke into the day. It was deep and high, haunting and reassuring, all at the same time, saying, "Let us begin."

—

A/N: 

I know this is extremely short, especially compared to some of my more recent chapters. I am forewarning everyone that the Power meeting updates (which will be placed at strategic intervals throughout the story) will probably all be short, but will hopefully lend an insight to what is going on in the story and why. Most will be better and more revealing than this.


	17. 

If the last chapter confused you, don't worry, it was supposed to confuse you. But, hopefully, more of it will make sense as the story progresses.

In response to an review I received I answer, that yes, I _could_ make this more like a soap opera if I wanted to. For example, I could have Angie fall passionately in love with Kit, and them run off and get married. When they return home, Angie's long lost sister comes and tries to steal and seduce Kit away from Angie. Meanwhile, Nita's still going out with Ronan, but is sleeping with Kit on the side. Angie finds out about Nita and Kit, and starts sleeping with Ronan in retaliation, while Ronan, in turn confesses that he's gay. 

While that my be... interesting, its not going to happen. (Sorry to any of you hoping for a Kit/Angie relationship) Not in this story anyway, perhaps I'll do a humor spin-off of this story with that plotline. 

— — —

Nita jerked her head up as Angie poked her in Biology.

"Rough night?" she asked empathically.

"I didn't get home until after midnight and didn't sleep well then." Nita admitted. 

"Things go well with Kit?" asked Angie.

"Surprisingly, yes. He talked, I talked, we cried, we hugged, we talked some more... It was almost like the entire incident disappeared. Like a pow- like someone just pushed a button and POOF!, it never happened."

"Hmm..." Angie started to comment, "You-"

"Okay, okay, quiet down everyone. It's time to start. Pass your homework forward. Mr. Faris, if it's not done now you don't have time to finish it before I collect it. Turn it in now or not at all..."

***

"Coming over again?" Nita asked Angie as they walked out of the building together at the end of the day. "I think Kit is."

"Sure. I need to be home earlier, though. I lucked out last night, but I suppose it's too much to ask that he might loosen up a bit just because he moved me a couple hundred miles." Angie said, in the same bitter voice she always used when she spoke about her father.

"Hey, Kit, over here!" Nita suddenly called. 

Kit fought his way through the crowd of students rushing to get out of school, and fell in step beside Nita and Angie.

"I don't think you two have been... properly introduced." Nita's friends shot each other wry looks, thinking of their meeting. "Kit—" Nita introduced to her long time friend to her new one— "This is Angie. She moved here over the weekend from Illinois. Angie, this is Kit."

Now that Angie's mind was working a hundred miles an hour trying to deal with Kit popping up unannounced in Nita's bedroom, she discovered Kit was not too bad on the eyes. He was sturdily built (A/N: I typed "studly" instead of sturdily by accident... It thought of leaving it that way, but changed my mind.), tall and muscular. His Hispanic origins were apparent in a skin tone that appeared as a never-fading tan. He had dark hair, and dark-colored, but smiling, eyes. He gave off a presence that, if you were on his good side, made you feel always secure and protected, or, if you were on his bad side, made you want to run and hide. 

"Glad to finally met you—rather than just running into you and confessing my sins before accusing you of being Nita— sorry about the insult to you, by the way." he told Angie.

Kit dodged the blow Nita aimed his way, while both he and Angie laughed.

***

Angie had to admit to that she was slightly jealous of Nita and Kit. They were so close. She wished she had a close friend like that. They knew each other better than they knew themselves. Ever since Angie and Nita had met up with Kit after school and Angie had been properly introduced to him, Kit and Nita had been finishing each others' thoughts, (A/N: My friend and I do that all the time. It drives everyone else mad.) and kidded they each other relentlessly.

Currently, he was tossing one of the potato chips he'd grabbed from the bowl they'd been passing around from the couch to the chair in Nita's living room. She picked it up, and tossed it back, as Kit grabbed a handful and lobbed them at her. A matter of seconds later, a chip hit Angie squaring on the forehead. Nita and Kit both laughed, until Angie had returned the favor of potato chips to them, and the living room air was thick with flying hydrated grease, salt, and potato.

***

As Nita lay in bed that night, she thought of Angie's revelation last night. She's spent the afternoon with Angie, but Kit was there for most of it, and neither she, nor Angie, had mentioned it. Nita was still in shock about the fact that her newfound friend was pregnant— and she had no clue what to do. 

Angie needed to tell someone— an adult. She needed a to visit a doctor, to confirm her pregnancy and for health reasons— hers and the baby's. Angie's father would find out. Nita's first opinion would have been to tell him, but if her father would really disown her.... Nita didn't know him, but the impression of what she knew about him was not favorable. If Angie honestly believed her father would turn her out, Nita believed her. Angie wasn't really skinny— she wasn't fat, just kind of stocky— so, with the help of maturity clothes, she'd probably be able to hide her pregnancy until the last couple months.

That brought up the problem of an obstetrician. Without an adult, Angie had no insurance, and not enough money to afford the bill otherwise. That is, unless....

Nita remembered advertisement for the health clinic. The advertisement Nita had seen had been for their women's branch, and it denoted the gynocology exams and mammograms, and other health care options the clinic offered to women at a reduced price, under the mission statement to get all women the health care the need when they need it. Nita made a mental note her herself to check if they dealt with obstetrics.

As there was little Nit could do now, when she should be sleeping, Nita tried again to fall asleep. Unfortunately for her, her mind drifted to Ronan. She'd not talked to him since Friday night, and he surely wondered what happened. 

What should she tell him? Should she tell him what happened with Kit? Especially since they'd worked it out? (If that's what you call it.) Honesty was the best policy.... most of the time. Sometimes it causes more problems than it fixed, however. 

If she told him, they he'd dislike and distrust Kit even more than he did now. They'd never get along, and that's be hell for Nita.

But if she didn't tell him, then she'd know that she was hiding something from him, and would be paranoid that he didn't find out. That's be hell, too.

But which is worse?

She needed to tell him. She really did. She wondered what he was doing now. 

Sleeping, if he has any sanity, a voice in that back of Nita's head advised. After all, it was 3:30 A.M. Oh, well. she thought. It wouldn't hurt to check.

And he was asleep. Nita cursed. Suddenly, a thought struck her.

How had Annie left a message in Nita's manual and received a message from Nita, if she herself did not have a manual?

__

"You just wake up knowing..." Ronan's words from over the summer came drifting into her mind.

She could leave him a message to meet her at her house after school the next day. Quickly, she pulled out her manual, flipping the messaging section. 

"Message to Ronan Nolen." she told it in the Speech.

"Message?" The words formed themselves on the page.

"Um... 'Missed you. I need to talk to you about something important. Can you come here at three-forty-fivish tomorrow, my time?'" She gave him the cordinites for her backyard. "'I'm sure you can stay for dinner-my mom wants to meet you anyway. Let me know.' Ending... oh, just end it Nita."

"Approve?" asked the manual, Nita's message glowing on the page. Nita glanced it over, gave her approval, and it asked, "Send?" Nita confirmed.

"Success. Message sent." the manual informed. Nita, vowing to pick it up in the morning, toppled her manual to the floor. It landed open, but Nita, exhausted, didn't notice as she slipped into sleep.


	18. 18

Nita jumped as something jolted her foot the next morning when she climbed out of bed. She had a defense spell ready before, laughing at her jumpiness and stupidity, she realized that it was simply her manual, lying open on her floor. She crouched and picked it up. She was getting ready to flip to the messaging section to see what Ronan had said, when she noticed what page it was on. It was the page of the directory section that her name was on, two listings from the top. 

And she was listed on active status.

Nita sat back on the bed, head in heads.

__

Great, she thought, _here we go again. I hate it when They list me active and I have no clue why-the-heck I even am._ She sighed, knowing that she'd just have to stumble in the dark for a few days, and eventually Someone would inform what she was supposed to be doing to save the world this time.

***

"So," accused Nita, voice a question to Kit that she'd been pondering since it popped in her head this morning, "The blue negligee... was that your doing?"

They were standing in the schoolyard before class the next morning. Nita hadn't seen Angie since she's gone home last night; there was no sign of her now.

Kit's cheeks took on a crimson tint. "Not on purpose.... sorry. Though you know..." he added almost as an afterthought, "It didn't turn out to be that bad of a mistake..." Kit ducked, Nita's hand connected anyway.

It was odd— after the last week, after Friday night, they could joke like this. Kit could made crude comments, and Nita could react... with neither of them feeling the least bit awkward.

"Hey!" protested Kit, "It was a compliment! Flattery sure doesn't get anyone anywhere, with you, does it? Do you hit Ronan every time _he _compliments you?"

The bell rang, saving Kit from further assault.

***

Nita informed Kit and Angie that they couldn't come over after school because she "had plans". Angie took this at face value, and took off towards her house, but Kit, on the other hand, was suspicious. As they walked the few blocked on the way to their respective houses, Kita asked, 

"Your plans don't happen to involve a certain Irishman yours, do they?"

"And if they did?" she replied.

"I knew it!" he exclaimed.

"What do you have against him, anyway?" asked Nita. "You disliked him even before.... the other night."

Kit sighed and was quiet for a few moments. Finally he said, "I don't trust him."

Nita wanted to ask why, but by this time, they had reached the corner where they parted way to their homes, and Nita had no time to waste if she wanted to get home to meet the person under question. Ronan had left a message that Nita had read after pushing the fact that's she was on Active, confirming that he'd be there at 3:45. That reminded Nita that she hadn't told Kit the she was on Active status, nor had she checked if he was as well.

She let herself in the house, which was eerily quiet. Her mother had gone to the florist shop with her father today; Dairine wasn't home from school yet. She went out the back door and into the backyard. She loved her backyard. It was like stepping into her own botanical garden. It was one of her father's strange-florist hobbies, landscaping his backyard extremely colorfully. While waiting for Ronan to arrive, Nita leaned against the large rowan, an old childhood friend of hers. She used to climb in the branches and imagined conversations between herself and the tree. It wasn't until she became a wizard that she learned that she hadn't imagined them.

"How are you doing today, Liused?" Nita asked the tree in Speech, once she had sunk into the rhythm of a tree's life.

"Quite well. My leaves are turning lovely colors, don't you see? This year had an idyllic amount of rainfall." replied Liused in the same language. "And how are you doing?"

"That's good. I'm doing fine. I'm waiting for a friend of mine." 

"Oh?" asked the rowan with a touch of a smile in her rich mind-voice, "The one that's always around here, that likes to talk with the stones and metal-workings?"

"No.... A different one. He-" she started, before she was interrupted by the _pop! _announcing Ronan's arrival.

"Bye!" Nita bid farewell to her tree friend and started to pull herself back into her normal speed to life. She caught one last, and somewhat surprising, bit from Liused before she adjusted herself,

"Bye! Have fun! He's cute for a human!"

Nita would have liked to question this last remark. While she didn't disagree, having this coming from a tree... She could hold back a snicker.

"What?" asked Ronan, confused, though relieved he'd gone to the right place. 

"Nothing... It's just, well. Liused thinks you're cute."

"Who?" asked Ronan, getting more confused by the moment. There was no one else in the yard.

"Liused." she gestured, "The rowan."

"Right so..." A tree called him cute? Is that a compliment? 

Nita laughed again, and, correctly interpretting the look on his face, said, "It's a compliment. I think."

"Well, _you're _mighty helpful." He feigned a pout.

"Well... If it helps any I agree." Nita said.

Ronan blushed, "You know, you're not to bad yourself."

Now it was Nita's turn to blush, think of Kit's question about compliments from Ronan. "Um... Come inside. No one's home yet."

"So..." asked Ronan, once they were seated on the couch, "What happened Friday night after I left?"

Nita took a deep breath; this was the moment of choice. Should she tell him? She had to... honesty was always best.

"Now, don't flip out," she said, choosing her words carefully, "Let me talk through, please?"

Ronan nodded, though his skepticism about what she might say was climbing.

Nita started to relay the events of Friday night, starting with her and Kit's fight, his accusations, and her responses. 

Ronan was quiet, though it took all his self-control. When she got to the part about "A guy like Ronan.", he started and had to abstain himself from saying what he was thinking. However, when Nita told him what Kit had done, Ronan could contain the curse that slipped from his lips.

"That—" he began before he was saved from the strand of swearing that threatened to escape expressing his opinion of Kit when Nita shot him a warning look. He shut up.

"I know what you're thinking," said Nita.

__

Sweet Powers, I hope not. thought Ronan.

"And it's assuredly the same thing I was thinking originally."

She continued, explaining her and Kit's make up and his apology. She finished with, "Don't hate him. I don't; I've forgiven him. I would have liked not to tell you of this, because of the reaction I expected, but I knew I needed to. I really could stand it if the two most important guys in my life hated each other."

Ronan took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Nita wouldn't approve of what he really,_ really, _wanted to say about Kit about now. 

Finally, he had himself under control enough to say, "I don't _hate _Kit...."

"Just extremely dislike?" Nita asked with a concealed smile.

"No... well, actually...." Ronan stopped stumbling when he noticed the tugging at the corners of Nita's mouth. "Fine. To be honest, yes. Right now, I extremely dislike Kit."

"I'll have to live with that, I suppose. Why can't the two of you get along? You know, he doesn't like you either."

Ronan couldn't exactly say he was surprised. But he didn't want to know, "Why?"

"I'm not completely sure." answered Nita slowly, wondering how much she should say. "He says he doesn't trust you. I think he thinks you're a threat to my virtue." Seeing the look on his face, she said, "He's like... like a big brother. He's more over-protective of me than my father."

"Brothers do not kiss their sisters." Ronan said flatly.

Nita sighed. "Look." she replied, "Kit means a lot to me, and I mean a **lot**. He's been in almost every aspect of my life since my first week of wizardry. He's saved it—my life— more than a few times, as I have his. I know he cares about me. I've seen the look in his eyes when he thought I was going to die and he could do nothing to save me. I've seen the pain behind the fury when we've gotten in a fight. So he got his cares mixed up a bit— it's sorted out now. Give it a rest, will you?"

Ronan could see he had no choice. He really didn't feel like getting into a fight with Nita right now— especially not over **_Kit_**. "Okay. I'll try."

"I guess that's all I can ask." said Nita, sliding over closer to him, "Promise to try?"

"Promise." said Ronan, closing the small gab between them.

They were caught up in the brilliantly vibrant colors of each other's life forces when they heard the door open. They sprang apart in an eye blink, Nita settling into the armchair as Ronan remained on the coach. They were deeply engrossed in a conversation (later, neither would remember what it was over) when Dairine, Harry, and Betty all three walked into the room.

***

"Oh, so just because America is big and bad militarily, with a decent social program, and flourishing industries, that gives it the right to step all over or ignore impoverished, but make the very same allowances for itself that it's denied these other countries?" Ronan shot back as the rest of the table looked at him, surprised, pondering what he'd just said.

Dairine knew she'd been had. She said, "You're right. It doesn't." She nodded at Ronan, smiled, and concluded, "Thank you for the debate. It's been stimulating." Those who didn't know her might have been surprised that there was not even a hint of sarcasm in what she said.

Trust Dairine and Ronan to get into a political debate over

Ronan had an odd look, part satisfaction, but mostly shock, on his face. ~"You Americans are _strange_."~ he told Nita privately. Nita snorted in her rice.

"What?" asked Dairine.

"Nothing." Nita anwsered, shaking her head. "Um... pass the potatoes?"

***

"I like him." Nita's mother announced to her after Ronan had left. "He seems nice enough."

"Why's his hair so long? What kind of boy has long hair?" complained her father, unable to accept any choice in boy of his little girl's.

"Ignore your father, dear." Nita's mother advised her, "He just needs something to grip at about Ronan, and his hair is the only thing he could find."

"Now that's not true..." insisted her father. Nita didn't quite catch what he mumbled but it sounds an awful lot like "entirely".

She didn't really care— fathers were supposed to like who their daughters dated, for whatever the reason.

Nita's father and mother had been playfully arguing back and forth about their opinions of Ronan. _It's just like something out of a book, or fanfic, or something_, thought Nita.

Finally her father sighed, turned to her, and asked, "So you really like him, huh?"

Nita grinned. "I do."


	19. Powers II

I have some news that will probably thrill all of you (and for once I'm NOT being sarcastic!): I completely finished this story two nights ago. I'll post more frequently now— the reason I haven't been is because I was writing part sporadically, or rather, I didn't write them in order and didn't want to post some of this end stuff before I was finished, just in case I needed to change a few things. 

__

Oh, great! think my readers, already planning the flames they are going to send me, _another Powers chapter!_

Hopefully this will clear up a bit more. If you still don't understand it, oh, well. The pieces will fall into place as the story progresses.

— — — — —

"All of you know too well," that haunting voice (Or was it voices?) continued, "The story of the One who is missing from our midst. He has done terrible things, that One, the Destroyer, the Starsnuffer, the Lone One. But change has also come to Him, over time. With our guidance and... advert suggestions-"

There was a spatter of laughter at this, though the subject was dire. Everyone knew that these "advert suggestions" often included dropping a mortal in the middle situation that They wanted fixed and hoping the mortal's survival instinct and knowledge would get whatever needed to be done accomplished.

"He has been given the opportunity to change, due in a large part to the two protectors of the vessel. And He had begun to. However, nothing so far has corrected what He has done, and **none** of it will get him back here.

"You know We are not omniscient. Change makes this near impossible for the future, and Timeslide makes it hard for what is currently considered the present. However, there are Some who can tell more than Others. And one creation that knows all that has happened and some that may.

"Between These, we've gained knowledge of an opportunity. An opportunity that may bring Him to fill His vacancy.

"The time draws nears for this. The elements are in place. Some need a bit more urging. Interference from Him has not come yet, but they are to be expected. Some mortals and Otherwise may die at His hand, but if We can succeed, this will be more beneficial than We can conceive.

"We do not think He knows yet of the vessel. This gives Us a rare advantage. However, this needs to be closely monitored. The moment he finds out will be the moment when things start happening. Though the two protectors are in place and unknowingly fulfilling this assignment, Lugh's heir is more ignorant of the situation than He is. However, if the Champion's ancestors are as efficient as he was, than there will not be a problem there.

"Not everything is going as smoothly as this. For example, the vessel may need some assurance and influence: the vessel may be ignorant and therefore not sympathetic, of our cause. We must plan, quickly. Time is fluid as all of You know. It does not move the same here as it does in the vessel's world. Let us make haste."


	20. Time Marches On

Thing's really start speeding up now. If you remember, we left off in October, and time has taken a jump.

-- -- -- -- --

March 15th

Outside, the rain pelted the windows, lightning lit up the sky, and the wind roared viciously. Nita sighed. It had been raining all day. The electricity went out for over an hour. It was finally back on, which was good since it was now night. Nita sighed again, and picked up her manual, deciding to do some research. 

She'd been on active for five months and still did not know why. As had Kit.

In December, they finally got fed up and went to talk to Tom and Carl.

Tom and Carl were a lot of help.

"The Powers work in way strange to us. Kit and Nita, you _know _this. When They want you to know what They want to do, They'll throw you into it like They always do, and then you'll find out." Tom had told them.

"Unfortunately, I don't know what else to tell you, unless your manual has a feed-out on it." Carl had said. 

The manual didn't.

It was annoying, all this waiting. She spent time with Kit and with Angie.

Angie still hadn't told her father. With the help of maternity clothes and the fact that her father didn't pay much attention to her anyway, he hadn't noticed. Nita went to the health clinic regularly with Angie. A sonogram revealed that the baby was supposed to be a girl. The clinic's cheap health care wasn't perfect, but it was the best Angie could afford with what she had saved up for a car. They also had a privacy policy and counseling for teen mothers-to-be. 

Nita kept insisting that Angie had to tell her father. But every time Nita asked what Angie was going to do after the baby was born, Angie would dodge the question, or insist telling her father was out of the question.

Angie wasn't sure whether she was going to give up the baby for adoption or not. She'd made the decision not to abort early on, but that was the easy decision, and a counselor had advised her strongly against it. She knew raising a baby would be difficult on her own, but wasn't sure if she could handle giving him or her up. 

Another sigh escaped Nita's lips. It was just that kind of day. She wanted to talk to Ronan, but, it was one in the morning over there, and he was in bed.

The worst part of this _really _long distance relationship was the time differences. Five hours was pretty harsh. Nita missed him; it'd been over a week since she'd seen him. They'd gone for a walk on Mars.

It'd been very romantic; Mars was beautiful, despite what some might say. It—

Nita was jerked out of thought by hurried knock on the door.

Angie stood there dripping wet.

***

Nita hurried her inside. Water caused Angie's clothing to cling tightly to her body, fully exposing her pregnancy.

"I told him, and he was really mad and he kicked me out and I didn't know where to go or what to do and—" Angie rambled until Nita cut her off.

"Calm down. We'll sort this out, but first, let's get you dry. Being soaked and freezing can't be good for you, _or _the baby." Nita's brain fell back on good old common sense while she was sorting things out.

"Who was at the door?" asked Nita's mother, as Nita hurried up the stairs to her room, with Angie in tow.

"Angie!" Nita called back. "We're going upstairs, but we may be back down soon!"

Nita's mind was moving a hundred miles a minute, but she concentrated on first things first: Getting Angie warm, into dry clothes, and telling her story.

Nita handed Angie a pair of oversized sweatpants, a large t-shirt and a towel, and gestured to the bathroom. A few moments later, Angie emerged.

"Now," said Nita, leading Angie to her bed and sitting her down on it, "Tell me what happened."

Angie took a shaky breath. "I told my father I was pregnant, and had been for seven months. To make along yelling session short, he demanded to know where I was getting the money, whether I was going to abort, and said he was 'right about Gary from the start'. Then, he kicked me out. I don't have anywhere I to go. My grandparents are dead, my dad's an only child, and my mom's only brother just had a heart attack. I called Gary from a pay phone and told him. At first, he didn't believe me. Then, he accused me of awful things and called me some obscene names. I never would have suspected this from him. He hung up on me. This has just been my day. What_ am _I going to do?"

"Come on. I think it's time to talk to _my _parents." Nita stated.

***

The weeks that followed were stressful for everyone. Nita's parents, with much convincing and much explaining, finally agreed to let Angie stay, at least until she had the baby, with the condition she would contact her father after the baby was born. An extra twin bed had been set up and Nita's room.

Angie was beginning to have more difficulties as the due date got sooner, and missed school. The kids at school now knew she was pregnant and weren't making things easier. 

Both Kit and Ronan were upset that Nita hadn't told them anything. 

No one much knew what was going on with Dairine; she hadn't been home much lately. Nita's manual said that she was in the middle of some big project "Subject: confidential".

Angie and Nita did have a bit of an enjoyable time during these weeks buying the minimal basics for a coming baby. Nita's mother still had a few things that she, "Couldn't _bear_ to get rid of.", thankfully. She had a bassinet ("Look at the little frills! Aren't they adorable?"), a high chair ("Both Nita _and _Dairine used this!"), a rear-facing car seat ("_My_ mother made this cover for the girls."), and various outfits ("Aw.... aren't these cute!"). However, the baby still needed diapers, bottles, formula, a pacifier, and a few more clothes, as Angie's tight budget would allow.

"Look!" yelled Angie, when she at Nita were at Wal-Mart one afternoon.1

"What?" asked Nita.

"This dress! It would be perfect for a coming home dress!" Angie held up a tiny, perfectly adorable, newborn-sized pink dress. "And it's on the clearance rack! Only $4."

"It's _adorable_!" Nita squealed. It was promptly added to the cart.

"What are you thinking about for a name?" asked Nita, as they headed to the check out.

"I'm not sure." replied Angie.

"Just don't name her Maggie." said Nita, remembering something she'd thought of the other day.

"Why no— wait. Maggie Zeen? No way; that's just cruel. Don't worry. I'm not doing to name my daughter 'magazine'." Angie said with conviction.

***

Nita came home in the afternoon on April 9th to find Angie sleeping on the couch. She tried to be quiet; Angie was having trouble sleeping at times.

Nita took her bag upstairs and, then went back down to the kitchen to get something to eat. Dairine wasn't home; she'd finished her one project, and spent almost an entire week sleeping, then started something else.

Angie sat up sleepily. "Hey..." she mumbled, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

"Hi. I was just getting ready to get something to eat. Want something?" Nita asked.

"Sure. Some ice cream sounds good." Nita laughed. At least she wasn't asking for pickles in it like she did the other day.

"Okay, just a second. Stay on the couch, I can bring it." Nita said, when Angie started to get up. 

"No, I have to pee." Angie stood up to go to the bathroom. "I'll come to the kitchen and eat with.... oh, crap."

"What is it?" asked Nita worriedly.

"I think my water just broke." Angie said, eyes wide.

— — — 

1The main point of this scene, other than to point out Angie's on a budget, and gaggle over adorable baby clothes, was to put in the bit about the name, something I thought of when _I _was trying to name the baby. I also figured this could use a bit of humor relief, as it's getting more serious in this and the upcoming chapters.


	21. Powers III

This is very, very short. The next chapter is short also, so I'll update them both at the same time, unless I get kicked off the computer. Be that the way, I'll get the next chapter up ASAP.

Congrats to all of you who are starting to piece together the last Powers chapter. I'm not going to point out what is right and wrong, cause I want to to see for yourselves, but you guys are on the mostly right track!

— — — — — 

"He knows. We must work faster. We think He will try to capture the vessel as soon as the opportunity presents itself. We fear he will use an _ananark_." Gasps of horror were heard from every Power in the semicirlce. An _ananark _was a very bad thing, indeed. 

"We will link the two protectors and Luc's heir, in case He does use an _ananark, _to the vessel with a _narketta_. This would cause a _subanark _of them,if He does use a _ananark. _They would then be able to protect the vessel from His evil." The other Powers nodded in agreement. It was a dangerous plan, but a better plan than having none at all.


	22. Coming home for a while, anyway

I held a baby that was only a few weeks old for over forty-five minutes today. A friend of mine's sister just had a baby. (The sister lives with my friend, so my friend is doing a majority of the baby work). The baby I held is simply adorable! She's part of the inspiration for (and response about) Angie's baby.

— — — — —

"She's so beautiful." said Angie smiling the exhausted, proud, and blissfully happy smile of a mother holding her child for the first time.

It was 11:37 PM, the same night. Nita had called her parents (Thank goodness for cell phones) as soon as Angie had informed her that her water had broken. They were thankfully only five minutes away, and quick got Angie to the hospital. After several hours in labor, Angie finally gave birth to a 8 lbs. 2 oz. baby girl, slightly early, but completely healthy.

"Lexi." said Angie, "Lexi Marie Zeen."

***

__

She's so tiny, thought Nita, as they rolled Angie out of the hospital, with Lexi in her arms. Angie placed Lexi in her car seat, and Nita's father drove towards their house.

Nita's parents were still very skeptical about having a newborn in the house, mainly her father. He was afraid that it would be too much for her mother. The rest of the household argued.

Angie promised to take full care of the baby. She wasn't going to drop out of school, however, she was going to be out for at least a few weeks, possibly until the end of this year, and was in the process of getting put on a homebound program. 

Nita assured her father that she would help Angie as needed, and that her mother would not be left responsible for the baby.

Nita's mother dismissed her husband's worries with no more than a hand wave. "I'm in just fine condition, thank you. I've raised two children, and having the benefits, but none of the responsibility will harm me none." She smiled, already getting excited and baby-talkish, as women, especially mothers, get around babies.

Dairine was much too exhausted from her latest wizardry endeavor to voice much of an opinion about anything, other than to say groggily, "Spell the room for sound. I really need to sleep."

Nita decided to take this grumbled advice to heart. It would also keep Lexi from waking her parents in the night, but since Lexi would be sleeping in a bassinet in Angie and Nita's room for the time being, it would not keep her from being heard.

"Welcome home, Lexi." Angie said softly, as they pulled into the drive.

***

The week passed. Other than being slightly tired, neither Nita nor Angie had any major mishaps. Nita's parents held Angie to her promise to contact her father. She decided it was best to simply show up at his doorstep with Lexi. He could hang up the phone, tear up letter, ord ignore an e-mail. He _could _slam the door in her face, but she would persist until she talked with him.

On Saturday, Nita's father was going to drive Angie, along with Nita and her mother for moral support, to Angie's father's house. Harry had to go into the flower shop in the morning and Betty had gone with him. They planned on returning around 1:00. It was now noon.

"I'm so nervous." Angie confessed, as she packed things that were laying on the coffe table into a purple diaper bag for Lexi; it was the first time Angie had taken her out of the house. She was unsure how long she would be at her father's, but in the extreme optimistic of several hours, Angie overpacked, with a jar of powered formula, a bottle of water, several diapers, baby wipes, and a change of clothes, just in case.

Nita wasn't sure how to respond. She finally settled on, "He can't do any worse than he's already done."

"True." said Angie with a sigh, as she turned to get Lexi out of her babyseat. Suddenly, she clutched her chest as if she was having a heart attack. She moaned; she was in anguish.

"Angie?" Nita voice was panicky. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Angie couldn't respond. It was as if someone was gripping her insides, twisting them, before pulling them out. 

"Angie?!" Nita repeated.

Suddenly Angie no longer stood there. 

Nita's eyes bulged. What had just happened? 

__

Kit, we have a situation here! she called, not knowing what else to do. Lexi began crying. Nita made motion to go over to her, but slid to her knees as shots of pain racketed in her head, and she momentarily disappeared as well.

***

Kit heard Nita's frantic call, but he didn't have a chance to answer. One moment, he was on the porch talking to Ponch, the next moment he was struck with a terrible pain in his head, and was no longer standing on the porch,

***

Ronan was simply minding his own business. He walking to the table holding his microwave dinner. His mother was out with her fiance. As he took a bite, a bomb went off in his head. He dropped the plate, but it didn't really matter since he was no longer there for it to spill on.


	23. Taken

This may have a few spelling grammer, but I'm in a hurry, and it was either post it or don't and well... I figured you guys wouldn't mind. It's getting good... I'm thrilled at the responses. Seven reviews before update!

-- -- -- -- --

Angie looked around. And saw nothing.

That was not quite true; however, it was a very bland landscape. No grass, no trees, no plants, no sun, or stars and moon, no houses, no people, nothing. All that she could see was the gray. 

The ground was a dull gray color, sort of. Actually, Angie wasn't sure if you could call it a gray color. It was more... more of an absence of color than anything. What was going on? What had happened? All she remembered was that tormenting feeling that she was being pulled, inside out, and then she appeared here. Where was she? And what about...

"Lexi!" Angie called out.

"Aw.. little Lexi. Worried?" asked a mocking voice. 

Angie whirled around. Who was speaking? She'd looked around only a few seconds ago and no one was in sight. An appearingly brown-eyed, brown-haired, 6 foot teenage male stood there.

"_Gary_?" asked Angie in astonishment.

"Yes. Quite a convient personality, don't you think? It gets quite annoying being hated and feared _all _the time. I guess it's true about the difference in loyalty from fear, and loyalty by adoration."

Anige's mind was reeling. She asked, "Who _are _ you?" 

"I have many names, many personalities that you need not concern yourself with. What you _do _need to concern yourself with is letting me see my daughter." Gary no longer looked like Gary. He was darkening, blending, his features indistinct.

Angie wasn't sure what was going on. She didn't know who or what Gary really was, or what he was trying to do, but she did know that she did know that something was horribly amiss and that she did not want Lexi with whatever being was glaring down upon her.

***

Nita had still had a splitting headache. She looked around, and saw that she was standing in what could possible be a deformed forest. The trees grew at old angles, and their leaves had a bluish tint. Needless to say, they didn't look to inviting.

"What's going on?" asked Kit from somewhere near. Nita turned towards his voice. Kit was massaging his head.

"I guess this is why we've been on Active." noted Nita. Kit nodded in agreement. "Though I don't know what 'this' is."

"_Subananark_." said Ronan, coming up next to the partners in wizardry. "I don't know who or why, but that has to be it. What else gives you a headache worse than the worst hangover and transports you to another place?"

"Sub what?" asked Kit, raising his eyebrows.

"_Subanarak_." repeated Ronan. "Kidnapping the mind. The body's forced to follow."'

"What?" Nita was confused.

"A _subananark _is a way of transporting someone by tying their mind with a _narketta _to you or someone else. When a _subanark _is activated, who ever has been attached, is pulled by their mind to where ever the anchor is, hence the splitting headache. It's very difficult and very dangerous to do, though. It not only takes great power, but impectible perciesion."

"So who pulled us here? No one is around." Kit pointed out.

"I don't know." said Ronan. "We should have been pulled right to where ever the anchor was. Unless... unless whoever did this didn't want the anchor to be followed, so they put a stop-over in place. But _subananark _won't _narketta _to itself. You can only double up if.. oh, crap. If you use an _ananark_ on the first one."

"What's the difference in an _ananark _and a _subananark_?" asked Nita.

"A _subananark, _as I've said, pulls the mind. An _ananark_, however," Ronan paused and swallowed, "pulls the soul. Who could the anchor for us be? Come to think of it, who could have done this in the first place?"

"Angie." said Nita. "She was clutching her chest, then disappeared, right before I called out to you, Kit. And that was only seconds before we were here. But if Angie's who-knows-where and I'm here.... What about Lexi? She's alone."

"Who can you reach? Anyone that can take care of her?" Kit asked.

"It'd have to be a wizard," said Ronan, "because you'll have to mindtouch."

"Dairine's off on whatever project she's working on, I can't get Mom and Dad.... Tom or Carl?" Nita contemplated, but shook her head. "How about Annie?"

"Worth a try." shrugged Kit.

__

Annie? Nita called mentally to her aunt, _Annie! I need your help, it's an emergancy!_

__

Nita? came the reply, _What is it?_

__

I have a problem. I've been— Nita broke off, and turned to Ronan, 

"What did you call it?"

"_Subananark." _he said. 

__

I've been subananarked_, and so have Kit, Ronan, and a friend of mine, Angie. We have no clue where we are, are how to get out of this. Angie's week-old daughter is alone at my house, in the living room. Could you get her? Take her back to your place or stay there? _

__

I... I suppose. answered Annie, trying not to concentrate on the dangers of _subananark, _and the fact her niece was trapped by such, _I'll bring her back here._1_ Does she have diapers and such?_

__

Yes. In a purple bag on the table. Thanks a million. And could you tell Mom and Dad that I'm out on wizardry and I'm not sure when I'll be back? I didn't exactly have time to leave a note.

__

Sure. Just let me know when you are back and I'll return Lexi. This is the good way to have children— when you can take care of them for a day, and then return them at night. 

__

Thanks again, Annie. said Nita, carefully shielding the thought that she wasn't sure if she would be back that night for Lexi's return.

As soon as Nita had finished talking to Annie, Ronan began to muse out loud again.

"Angie must have been _ananarked, _I don't envy her, and we must have been _subananarked _to her, but then why bother putting a stop-over to make it difficult for us to follow? It couldn't have been the same person, the one who _ananarked _Angie and the one that _subananarked _us. But that would take two very powerful and very experienced parties. And who would bother capturing Angie? I mean, it's not like she's a wizard or anything_. _Unless it was a trap for us... but then why bother with her and why to put a stop-over in? And if whoever really wanted Angie, and didn't want us following for whatever reason... then who _subanarked _us to her?This is too damn confusing."

"So, when does the side effect wear off?" asked Kit, massaging his head as if he had a migraine. 

"That's another question for the masters." said Ronan. "It's supposed to stop after the _subananark _is complete."

"But it's _not _complete." said Nita. "We're at a stopover. We need to get out. We need to find Angie and help her. How do we get out of this?"

"We aren't free from a _subananark _until the spell is broken. We'll be trapped with the anchor until we or whoever did this break the spell. If we try and leave, we'll just be pulled back. Since we are at a stopover... it's still pulling us towards Angie!" Ronan's voice held a note of discovery.

"So _that's _why we still have this lovely addition to our health and wellness. So how do we get from here to wherever Angie is?" 

"A stopover is a slice of space that is exactly halfway between the current location of the anchor and the original location of the _ananarked _or _subananarked._" recited Ronan. "In every stopover, there is a weak point. It must be found and is the only mean of exit."

"So... this _subananark _thing should be pulling us to the weak point so that it can get us to Angie?" asked Kit. He had been unraveling this puzzle, silently taking in all the information Nita and Ronan were figuring out themselves.

"I suppose." said Ronan.

"So, when need to go through there?" asked Nita, gesturing to the menacing trees.

"Seems like it." said Ronan.

"Let's hurry." Kit charmed in.

***

No one told him it would hurt this much. It was like someone was pushing a needle through his skull and then pulling as hard as they could.

__

Help! he heard her plea, _I need you._


	24. The Spell

Good job reviewing guys. If you read my other story, review it too, I'm not updating until I get a few more reviews. :D Seven reviews before I update this with the _final _chapter. Dun-Duh-DUN!

And for the record, I'm not a horrible writer, who engages in unclear pronoun usage. At least not too often. :P You were supposed to be confused at the end of the chapter; you weren't _supposed _to know who "he" was. Consider yourself properly chastised. (Sorry... couldn't help repeating that phrase of my preacher's.) If you read on, in less than five seconds, you'll find out who "he" is. Remember to review!

— — — — —

Harry Callahan never sped. He never saw the point. But currently, he was doing a good fifteen or twenty miles over the speed limit. His wife was in trouble; all logic left his head.

He arrived at his house in five minutes. It was a ten minute drive on the best days. He ran in, not bothering to close the door. At the foot of the stairs, Betty Callahan lay unconscious. Harry let out a gasp of surprise and ran to her side. He knelt by his beloved wife. Her chest moved slowing, Harry felt a weak pulse. She was alive. He scooped her up, and took her quickly to the car. He headed to the hospital, still speeding, praying that he'd reach it in time.

***

"Mom!" shouted Nita, jolting suddenly. They had been carefully treading through the deformed forest, wary of traps. "She's in trouble! I have to go!" She had the spell ready in her head before Kit grabbed her arm. 

"You can't go! Angie needs us." he insisted, "She's in trouble, too."

"You and Ronan take care of her! Mom needs _me._"

"Be rational, Nita! Did you stop and check whether your father has taken care of your mom? If Dairine has? You even know what's wrong with your mom?"

"You can't go anyway." Ronan said. "_Subananark, _remember? You're drawn here and can't leave. Whoever put this _subanark_ on you won't let you leave Angie."

"Screw it!" shouting Nita, and let go of the spell in her head. 

It was like slamming into a brick wall. Nita fell into a crumpled heap on the ground.

"Hate to say 'I told you so.', but..." said Ronan, not very helpfully.

Nita struggled up and tried again. Back to the ground. Again. She was preparing to go again, when, this time, both Ronan and Kit grabbed her arm. 

"Stop it!" they said in unison.

"You clearly aren't getting anywhere." Kit said angrily.

"You are going to kill yourself!" Ronan's voice held just as much anger as Kit's, "And right now, you need your strength!"

Nita relaxed in their holds. Kit let go as Ronan took her in his arms.

"She will be fine." he comforted, "She has your father and Dairine, and all the doctors and technology the hospital can offer."

"_We_ need you. _Angie _needs you." Kit repeated.

"Save your strength." Ronan said again, "We don't know what we are up against. We don't even know where we are. We don't know where Angie is, other than in this direction, or who has her. "

Nita sighed and whimpered. Ronan held her closer for a minute., then turned her towards him and kissed her softly. He whispered, "Come on. We need to go on. Be strong."

Kit had turned away, sensing Nita and Ronan's need for a private moment. Though he would rather be getting out the hose and separating the two, Kit figured that perhaps Ronan could talk some sense into her. Nita wouldn't heed Kit, and he knew it. Evidently, Ronan did manage to convince her of something, for a few moments later, Nita and Ronan rejoined Kit and they set off once more.

***

"Am I just getting used to it, or is this monster really reclining?" asked Kit, gesturing to his head. 

"You're right." Nita agreed in realization, "It's more of a steady pounding than a constant jackhammer feeling."

"Maybe we're nearing the weak point." suggested Kit.

"Now comes yet another tricky point, then." Ronan informed, "We have to do something like a transportation spell— with a twist. We're only going to be able to get through at one spot, and from there, we'll only be able to one location. That's good, in a way, since we don't know where the hell we're going."

"Let's get this over with." said Nita. "We need to get to Angie and figure this crap out."

Nita took Ronan and Kit's hands, and together the three of them reached out for an exit

***

It was almost like being trapped in a small, dark box, nyctophobia and claustrophobia pressing down around you. Nita explored with her mind, pressing against the darkness, as Ronan had instructed, searching for an opening. She could feel his, and Kit's, presences nearby. It gave her a bit of comfort, knowing that those two were here beside her. 

Suddenly, the pressure on Nita's probing mind stopped. Just as suddenly it was back. 

__

Hey, guys, I think I might have found something. Nita said.

She directed the two to the spot she had found.

__

That's got to be it. said Ronan. 

__

Mindtouch from now on. said Kit, _we don't want whoever to hear anything._

__

Also, get the defense spell ready. _We don't know what we'll be facing. _Ronan advised.

The three pressed together in the small weakpoint. They mentally did a transportation spell, holding a strong defense spell a single word short of completion in their minds. At the last moment of the transportation spell, they pushed with all their might at the weakness in the darkness engulfing them....

***

"You again!" roared the Lone Power as Kit, Nita, and Ronan fell into the gray realm, "How did you follow me here?"

They knew Who it was in an instant. No clarification was needed for this infamous familiarity.

Simultaneously, the trio spoke a single word in Speech. A split second later, all three felt identical waves of pain, as they were trapped in place.

"How _dare _you!" bellowed the Lone Power. "How dare you try, that is. Haven't you foolish mortals learned that you cannot harm _me_? Have you not discovered that _you can't win_? Now let us see you will take success. Come at me, foolish wizards."

But they could not. The Lone Power had trapped them in a powerful trap; He had not only turned their own curse against them, but had locked them in place. They could not move their bodies, or make use of their wizardry. 

__

Look what you've done! Kit exclaimed, blaming Ronan since it was his idea to try the defense spell in the first place.

__

What I've done! Is that quite fair? demanded Ronan angrily.

"Where is she?" the one rightly called the Destroyer asked, turning His attention back to Angie, "Tell me."

Angie shook her head. She didn't know who or what he was, but she didn't have to, to feel the maternal instincts that had existed since the beginning of time. Those instincts now told her that this man... this _thing_ was evil and she was _not _letting Him get her child.

__

It was your idea to do the defense spell and to go through that little spot and that's what got us into this... this binding! Kit replied.

"Tell me where my daughter is!" He demanded.

"No!" exclaimed Angie. "And she is **not** _your _daughter."

Kit, Nita, and Ronan gasped mentally as realization hit them, Kit and Ronan's argument lost. Temporarily, at least.

"Yes, she is! Now, where is she?"

Angie was silent, though she was shaking violently.

__

And if we hadn't tried a defense spell, where do you think we would be? Ronan was now officially ticked.

"WHERE IS SHE!?" yelled the founder of death, the symbol of evil, voice radiating hatred.

Angie said nothing yet again. 

__

Will you two stop it? asked Nita. _Can we save this power feud until later? There are more pressing issues than whose fault it is right now!_

The two were slightly shamed, and with holding grudges, drop it until later.

"I can make you tell me." His voice became oddly calm. "You can not resist. But it will be very unpleasant. One last chance: Tell me where she is!"

"Never!" cried Angie.

Kit, Nita, and Ronan were frustrated at their lack of ability to help and horrified at the thought of the measures the Lone One was going to take. Suddenly, Nita remembered something.

__

Guys! Nita called frantically in mindtouch, carefully blocking these thoughts from Him, _We have one chance, a spilt-second hope. Even He can't hold a major wizardry like this thing he's got us in and perform a even stronger and more difficult wizardry at the same time. In the moment He finalizes his spell, the last word, the knot, this lock will be down in the split-second it takes for the spell to take hold. That's the chance we have to grab for._

__

But, the spell will take hold! It will be too late. Kit said in angst, _Not only will He know where Lexi is, but this will kill Angie. One of us could barely survive that spell in full health and power. Angie, a non-wizard human weak from childbirth doesn't stand a chance._

__

I'm afraid he's right. said Ronan grimacing at the admittance, _We can get free, if we all try at once, and get Him, but we can't get to Angie._

__

If we all can_ break free, _Nita said, determined, thinking of her mother and how useless she was in that situation, and of how she was at least going to try in this one, _you and Kit go after Him, I'll try and help Angie. I can give her a jolt of power to keep her alive, and heal her after this ordeal. That is, if you two can work together, and channel some of that hate towards Him rather than each other._

They were more deeply shamed, and both promised to themselves that they wouldn't fight each other, for Nita's sake.

__

I suppose it's worth a shot, the best one we have right-

The three were jerked back into the present events when the Lone Power thundered, "You will not tell me? Fine!"

He began to chant evil-sounding words in a strong, clear voice. During these long minutes, anticipating the final word, Nita, again, remembered a vital fact.

__

She doesn't_ know! _Nita shouted to only Kit and Ronan.

__

What? they both asked.

__

Angie doesn't know where Lexi is. All Angie knows is that Lexi was at my house when she was ananarked. _She doesn't know Annie has her! He can do his little spell to force her to tell— and he won't find out anything!_

__

What will happen then? asked Kit.

__

The effects will still happen. insisted Ronan, _but Nita's right: He won't find out anything._

__

Get ready, guys. Nita informed them, listening for the end of this horrible recitation.

__

Now! she yelled.


	25. The End is Merely a Beginning

I beg you to read the last A/N, found on the next page, before you review. It might clear a few things up and save me from some flames. 

— — — — —

In an instant, several things happened.

The Lone Power roared in triumph, then frustration, "Why didn't it work?!?!?!" That was only a matter of seconds after—

Kit, Nita, and Ronan pressed hard against what was holding them with their joint power. All three hit their knees before jumping up, Kit and Ronan to deal with the Lone Power, Nita to see how Angie was doing.

In the second after the Lone Power had ended his spell, Angie had shouted out in pain and flown several feet. Nita ran to her side. She didn't check to see if Angie was still alive, and while in the back of her mind she knew that was foolish, the rest of her mind _knew_ that Angie couldn't die. Instead, she gathered a ball of her power, thrusting it out of her and into Angie. Angie's body jerked. Angie groaned, and curled up into a fetal position. Her heartbeat returned to normal, as did her breathing, for the time breathing. However, this left Nita quite drained.

***

Meanwhile, Kit and Ronan had their hands full managing the Lone Power. By pooling their strengths, they managed to create a weak restraint to hold him, in addition to keeping a shield raised to protect themselves from His attacks. He was fighting with most of his strength, and sending bolts of death in the direction of His captors. With the combined attempts against the Lone Power, Kit and Ronan's power, too, was draining very rapidly.

__

What how can I help? came Nita's weak voice from somewhere nearby.

Both Ronan and Kit knew that she shouldn't be doing anything thing in her weakened condition, and both had half a mind to tell her so. The other halves of their minds acknowledged, however, that this would be a foolish move. Not only would Nita not take the advice, but they also knew they needed the help.

__

Hold the shield! said Ronan. _If you can get that, Kit and I can hold this restraint bit longer._

__

Yes, get the shield, Nita. But how much longer, Ronan? asked Kit, _We have to _do_ something. If we can't defeat or temporarily impair him, we need to find a way out of here. We're losing strength quickly._

Some where in the back of her mind, Nita felt a small twinge of relief that the two were working _together _and hadn't killed each other yet.

__

Is there anyway we can get more power? asked Ronan desperately. 

Kit and Nita thought hurriedly at all the ways to obtain power. Nita was now holding the shield. Though a shield had been a specialty of hers since she used her first one against Joanne, she still winced at every strike the Lone Power used.

__

There's always a blank-check spell, but those are awful risky. Kit said.

__

No. said Nita with conviction, _Never again. I can't do that again, Kit. _

__

Okay, Nita. But where are we going to get the power? The only other way is to borrow it, and not only are their no other wizards around, but no one has that kind of power to spare, expect perhaps Dairine in her prime. But not only is she past that, but she's in the middle of something and can't share any of her power now.

Nita cried out as the Lone Power struck with his latest attempt. Her knees started to give out from under her, but she held her shield firm. Somehow, Ronan managed to slip an arm around her to hold her up. Kit arm joined his from the other side, and the three of them leaned on each other for support.

Something from the combination of Kit's words and the latest attack gave an idea. A brilliant, but very slim chance of an idea. _I know something we can try._ he told the others.

***

__

Why can't Nita or I do it? asked Kit.

__

I'll have to; only another Power can drain Power from a Power, even then it's only temporary. And while I'm far from being a Power, I'm the descendent of one, so it's the best chance we've got. Ronan insisted. 

__

It's better than nothing, I suppose. So what do Kit and I do? 

__

You two work best together, as well. You guys build a restraint with the power I siphon off Him. We need something to hold the power before you guys use it.

__

I can. said Nita.

__

Or I. said Kit.

__

NO! said Ronan forcefully. _It not only would be so overwhelming just holding it that you wouldn't be able to use it, but it would corrupt your own power, and when His power was restored the Him, all your power would go with it. We need something.... A stone would be best, but a non-wizardly human or otherwise, a wall, a chair, or even a refrigerator, for crying out loud, would work. But there's nothing here! _

__

Great. said Kit, _We have something that _might_ get us out alive, and we can't use it because we have nothing to hold the power with._

__

Use me. came a voice from nearby. Angie had regained conscience. But...

__

Angie? asked Nita, shocked.

__

Yes? she responded.

__

How is she mindspeaking? asked Kit, _No offense, but you're not a wizard. I've never met a normal, or rather non-wizard, human who mindspoke._

__

My power! Nita guessed _That has to be it; she has some of my power, which is also probably why she can hear what you are directing only to Kit and I._

__

Maybe. Yeah, I don't know what else it could be. said Ronan.

__

Use me. Angie repeated. _Let me hold the power._

__

What!? asked Nita, _No! It would be disastrous, in your condition. We don't know whether or not it would kill you._

__

Well, if you don't find something, we're as good as dead anyhow, aren't we? I don't know what's going on, I don't know what the heck you guys are, I don't know what He is, but I do know a few things. You three are getting weak. Nita, how much longer can you hold whatever shield thing you have somehow? You've put yourself in danger this whole time. You are at the point of exhaustion, yet you haven't stopped holding the shield, though His attacks are hurting you. And I know that if we don't stop Him, he will hurt Lexi. Angie fired back, _Use me. It will work. Let me do this. For my daughter._

__

She has a point. Several good points, actually. I say it's worth a try, as long as she understands the risks. Kit said.

__

I do understand. If this will protect Lexi at all, let me do this! Angie spoke vehemently.

__

I guess. Nita said.

Angie directed her next comment only to Nita, _He is Gary. Gary is Him, and has been all along. _Nita blanched, thinking of those the Lone One had used, then disposed of. _I don't know who He really is. I don't know what he is doing or why, but I do know the risked and I do know that I need to do this. _

__

Okay. This is what we do. planned Ronan, interrupting, _I'll began to drain his power to you, Angie. You have to open your mind to it, pull it in to one area and _do not use it_. Nothing against you, but you've never handled this or any similar kind of power. Given, neither have we, but we at least had several years with our own, and dealt with His before. As soon as Angie has the power, Kit and Nita, you start building the restraint, similar to what we've got him in now, but stronger. I know this is an obvious, but I'm going to say it anyway. All of us need to be very careful, we're making this spells up as we go and handling raw power._

__

How long will this last? asked Nita.

__

24 hours, in the optimistic. That will be long enough that we can find a way out of here, and long enough that, hopefully, the Powers will send someone or someOne else to handle it. Ronan said. It sounded good all four of them.

__

Are we ready? asked Kit, _Let's go._

***

Ronan voice rang out, strong and clear, as the Lone Power's had, but his voice and his words lacked the evil that was present in His.

Angie sat cross-legged on the gray ground, in deep contraction. A translucent rope ran from her to the struggling Lone Power, his struggles and attacks fiercer now that he knew what they were doing. Nita and Kit began their work.

Nita followed Kit's lead as they chanted together. As their voices mingled to the point of not being able to distinguish the two, they weaved the raw power of the Lone Power into a pillar around him, from the bottom. 

She managed to keep her concentration, despite holding the shield and the Lone Power's attempts. Each one was growing in power, searching for any flaw in her shield. It was weakening, but the binding restraint Kit and Nita were building was a shield unto itself, and as soon as they finished, Nita could release the one she held. Nita had never done wizardry like this before, using raw power. No one had the kind of power to waste by not using spelling and accessories. How would you test if it worked? She supposed she'd find out.

Suddenly, Nita was blinding by pain. She doubled over, crying out.

__

Nita! yelled Ronan.

__

Concentrate! Kit yelled back at him, continuing to build the restraint, though he was dying to go and help Nita.

__

The shield! Nita managed, her mindspeak rough with pain. _I'm not holding it; He's broken through._

Nita struggled to her feet, barely able to concentrate with the ringing in her head and the trembling of her entire body and began to recall the spell that would put a shield back up. She had it back up in merely seconds after standing, but not before Angie cried out as the Lone Power struck her. She was already sitting, but slumped forward, grimacing as small fireworks exploded in her head, and needles jabbed into her body.

Nita fought with every fiber of her being to rejoin Kit in the assemblage of the restraint, fighting the pain, fighting the urge to help Angie. She knew she could not go to Angie until the restraint was complete, and so she continued to attempt to block out the stinging sensation that covered her body; it didn't matter right now. She was trembling violently, but that didn't matter either. All that mattered was channeling the power, weaving the restraint, holding the shield....

And suddenly it was over. Kit formed a wizard's knot with the power, at the top of the pillar of raw power Nita and he had constructed. Ronan stopped chanting. The pain Nita was suffering began to subside; she was still throbbing all over, but the trembles slowed and shortly stopped. The Lone Power's roars of anger and frustration were damped, but not entirely drowned out.

The moment Nita was released from the wizardry, she dropped the original shield and ran to Angie's side.

With tears streaming down her face, obstructing her vision, Nita slipped her arm around Angie. Her new friend, who only months earlier, was so full of life and vigor, now lay in a crumpled heap. In protecting life, her own had been drained by evil.

She was unconscious. Her breathing was staggered, her pulse faint. Nita searched her mind her a healing spell, thought she knew in her heart she didn't have the knowledge or the strength and energy to correct what the Lone Power had destroyed so easily.

Angie's eyelids fluttered. She drew in a raspy breath and looked up at Nita.

"Take care of her, Nita. Take care of Lexi. Don't let Him hurt her...." she managed faintly, as she drew in her final breath.


	26. Final AN tear

Don't hate me. I never was one for extremely happy endings (Don't apply this to Hidden From Sight, I'm not sure how I'm going to end it, but it will probably be happy), even though I have trouble writing sad endings myself at times. When I intend to kill a character off, I usually characterize him/her and then become too attached and decide not to. I was afraid I wouldn't characterize Angie enough, because I was dead set on setting her dead (not sure if that sentence made sense, but it's nifty, so, yeah.) But I think I did okay. 

I'm going to do a sequel to this, featuring Lexi. I hope you understand at least half of what the Powers things were saying; a couple things that you are probably clueless about still will come up in the sequel. However, I think I'll put the first chapter of the sequel, which is coming along s-l-o-w-l-y, but surely, up in about a month. I want to leave some time for "reading and reflection" to give more people the chance to read the story and reflect on it a bit before I rush on to the sequel.

I never finished the Quintin thing, maybe it will come up in the sequel.

I know some of you thought I did some foreshadowing with Kit/Ronan's feelings and to be honest, I planned on them having a confrontation... but then I wrote it and forgot that part. So, I added an argument so that I will not get a reputation as a writer who writes deeply involved beginnings and then endings that don't even fit. 

Feel free to ask me any questions: I'll e-mail you a reply, or if I get a lot of questions, I'll post the answers on this story. If you asked about the Powers, and it's something that will come up in the sequel, I'll tell you that I won't tell you want it means, because I don't want to ruin the plotline of the sequel. 

Also, my title makes little sense, I know. I HATE making up titles before I finish the story. Just... ignore the title. it seems silly to change it now.

I was relieved and happy when I typed the final word of this story. (Which was actually the part about getting from the stopover to the gray realm; the last words of the story I wrote a while ago, and then started skipping around.) However, I was also kinda sad that it was over. This story was a lot of fun to write. I had fun devolving Angie, and writing Ronan and Nita's romance. Kit and Nita's fight was fun, too, cause I was having a poor week when I wrote it, and it was a good vent. Writing their make-up was tricky— I was afraid you guys would mutiny against me for falling back on convenient fluff— but luckily, most of you are a bunch of saps, and others were happy I didn't take "the easy way" {I thought what I did was} and put Kit and Nita together. 

I spent too much time on the romance— I had planned about three chapters to establish the romance, but before I knew it, Kit had a crush on Nita, and had kissed her, and I had posted it. I had planned on introducing Angie in chapter 4-5, but...well I was only about 7 or 8 chapters late... no biggie. :P

I don't know how many times I made the stupid mistake, when I was writing quickly and not paying attention to my letters, of writing "Kita" instead of "Kit and Nita".

I want to thank all my wonderful reviewers, especially those who stuck with me through it all. Special thanks to Brasenia, who offered to beta read, and though it never ending up working out, it's the thought that counts. (If you are still interested [or if anyone else is, for that matter] I still need a beta reader for the sequel, *wink, wink*) Thanks to Wandering Blue Andalite (Sorry to Ax if I totally butchered the spelling of that), and Smile 7499, for their e-mails. Again, love and thanks to everyone for their support and "constructive" (*cough, cough* ;D) criticisms. I hope you all read and like the sequel! (Which will be a whole lot better than this story!)

Now, go and review this story one final time. Make it a good, long review. I want to know exactly what you thought of the entire story, what I did right, what I did wrong, how it could have been better, what parts you liked, what parts you hated. Thanks again. Now, review!


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